Saying Hello
by Aphrodite Roslin
Summary: Everyone else's lives seemed fit. Why did Bill and Laura look so out of place in the very lives they were always best at? Continues the LDYB2 story and fills in some of the missing year
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I own nothing. All I get out of writing this is satisfaction.

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**6 Months Ago**

**Battlestar Galactica**

_Bill let out an exhausted sigh as he closed the door to his quarters. With one hand he began to unfasten his uniform jacket while the other switched on the lights. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a small form sitting on his small sofa. He was surprised to see her, but he didn't let it show. Instead, he grinned and finished his task before walking silently across the room to sit next to her – silently waiting for her to speak._

"_I, uh, I'm sorry for just letting myself in like this. I just – I just needed someone to talk to," she spoke quietly while keeping her eyes fixed intently on the floor. Adama held his gaze on her face._

"_It's no problem. You can come by anytime you like. You know that," he responded softly._

"_Yes, of course. Thank you," was her whispered reply._

"_How are you, Laura?" He hadn't seen her in months._

"_Fine. I'm fine. It's just a few of the ships are still pretty crowded, and, of course, the one that took me in is going to be one of the last to go down and settle. So it's nice to get away from all those people once in a while," she responded while never looking away from her spot on the floor._

"_I understand," Bill responded empathetically._

"_Also, I've been meaning to speak with you, and it's very important that I do it before I lose my nerve," Laura continued. Although she couldn't see it, Bill gave her a questioning look._

"_Lose your nerve? Laura, you should never be afraid to tell me anything. Do you understand? I'm your friend. I'm here for you always," he put a hand on her's as he spoke. Her fixed gaze then moved quickly to settle on their hands. _

"_Yes, I know, I know that. It's just – I don't want to ruin that. It's the only thing I have left in my life that really means something," her voice sounded as if she were about to cry. What could possibly be bothering her so badly?_

"_Laura, I'm gonna be honest. You're scaring me a little bit," he admitted, causing Laura to finally look him in the eye – there were tears in her own._

"_Just a few short months ago, I was dying, and the most unexpected thing happened. As my body was fading, my heart came alive for the very first time. Then, when you kissed me that day, just for a moment I forgot my life was ending. It felt like it had just begun, and I had hope that maybe you felt the same. But the pain returned, and I remember cursing it – cursing the Gods for giving you to me after it was too late. I remember waking up in Life Station cured and being horrified as to how it was possible. That is, until Dr. Cottle told me that it was your decision – he had left it up to you. I wasn't – I'm not sure why, but I never questioned it again," her voice was now strong, clear, and articulate. It was the same tone she had spoken to him with the last time he had visited her on Colonial One when she was still sick – before the destruction of the Resurrection Ship._

"_Laura," he began to respond._

"_No, wait. Let me finish," she stopped him. "I need to know, Bill, before I go insane. Just tell me," her voice had once again began to tremble. "I need to know if – I need to know if you could ever love me as much as I love you." Bill Adama didn't hesitate as he put a hand to Laura Roslin's face and wiped away a stray tear with his thumb._

"_I already do," he whispered, his own eyes stinging as he leaned in toward her. Her eyes close as their lips met, but this time the admiral kept his eyes open – memorizing everything about this moment. He had waited a long time for this. You see, this time they were not saying goodbye. Bill smiled as Laura gently grasped his shirt and slowly began to pull him down on top of her. This time they were finally saying hello._

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Well, that's all for my very short prolouge. Future chapters are promised to be lengthier. This is just to get you started on the basis of the story. Don't worry, though. I have tried to involve as many characters as possible so that the story isn't stuck on only A/R. There's plenty of ship to go around (friendly and romantic). Remember reviews equal LOVE. Please review! I need love! Thanks for your time! Aphrodite 


	2. Love, Cherish, and Protect

**Starbuck042786: **Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy the rest!

**FreddyTeddy: **Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

**Lintelain: **I agree the year gap was agonizing! I hope you like the rest!

**Marisocaly: **I agree. There are never enough A/R stories. I hope you enjoy the rest!

**Tracyj23: **You have no idea how incredibly happy you made me with your comment. The question you asked was what I asked myself as I began this story. I came up with an answer that I don't think anyone else has thought of yet – at least no one that I've seen. My answer should be in chapter 3 so I hope you keep reading at least that far!

**Windsor: **Keeping it up! I'm so glad you enjoyed my first chapter1 Here's chapter 2! Have fun!

**Present Day**

**Battlestar Galactica**

Admiral Adama let out an exasperated sigh as he closed the door to his quarters. He used both hands to unbutton only the top button of his uniform jacket, and the lights were already on. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a man dressed in a blue dress uniform sitting on his small sofa. He turned to face him before walking across the room to sit beside the man and spoke first.

"So what's your plan, Commander?"

"To tell you the truth, sir, I don't really have one," Commander Lee Adama responded honestly.

"There are 40,000 people on that planet, an we barely have a military to speak of," the admiral stated.

"If we had stayed, we would have no military to speak of," Lee defended.

"I know that, son. I just can't make it feel right," Bill admitted. Lee hung his head. "Laura, Kara, Saul – Our family is down there, Lee."

"I know that, dad. Maybe if we could organize some sort of recon mission to see what we're up against, but, as you know, we are vastly outnumbered. We can't fight them off. We have to find another plan of action," Lee stated after looking back up at his father.

"I know that, Lee. What I don't know is what that plan is," the admiral explained. "That's why we were running before. We were looking for an advantage. And now we're even further from finding one than when we started.." Lee wordlessly nodded in weary agreement. Bill sighed. "Let's just start with recon, and we'll go from there."

"Yes, sir," Lee said as he stood simultaneously with his father. The commander then made his way to the exit. Bill made his way over and stood behind his desk. Looking down he spotted his favorite picture of Laura and himself. It was taken five months ago in the observation deck of the Battlestar Galactica. He looked the usual way in his blue dress uniform, but Laura looked spectacular. She had insisted on wearing a white dress. She said it was what she had dreamed she would be wearing. He had put the word out to the fleet, and needless to say they all thought the request was strange – very few replied.

In the end, there had been twelve white dresses in all for Laura to choose from. Eleven weren't even close to fitting – but the thought was nice. Number twelve; however, was a perfect fit. It was form fitting but not inappropriately so. The dress was strapless and came down to just above her knees. Sown in white thread was a pattern of a sort of delicate vine with little flowers and leaves branching off. that led all the way from the bottom of the dress to the middle of the left breast. Laura had made the joke that it looked as if it had been donated by a sixteen – year – old girl. Later they would find out that it was. She had left her hair down as he loved it – the fiery red igniting the plain white of the dress – with the only other source of color being the golden bracelet that she always wore.

Bill loved the way Laura glowed in this picture. Her arms were wrapped around his neck, and his were around her waist. Laura had a smile bright enough to rival even the brightest star on her face, and so did he. What was funny was he didn't remember smiling. Nearly everyone in attendance had commented on how he never stopped grinning throughout the entire ceremony, but he couldn't recall doing it. It unnerved him slightly to think how easily he could be doing things without knowing it now – smiling had always been a conscious act for him before. _"I guess marrying the woman of your dreams will do that to you." _He thought to himself.

"_I, William Adama, do so vow to love, cherish, and protect Laura Roslin through whatever future that may come to pass with every fiber of my being." _Bill shuddered as he remembered standing in front of his family, friends, a window of stars, and the Gods themselves (if they even existed) vowing his life to hers. He remembered the feeling of ecstasy it gave him to hear her repeat the same to him. Looking down, he began to fiddle with the new wedding band that Laura had given him and cursed himself. He had done to her as he knew Laura would never have done to him. He had broken that vow today. He could not protect her from the enemy fleet that had undoubtedly come to harm her. He had abandoned his wife when she needed him the most, but it wouldn't be for long. He would find her – soon. He would protect her from anything. Even if it meant giving his life for hers.

Commander Lee Adama opened the hatch to leave the admiral's quarters, but as he turned to close it, he hesitated. His father was standing behind his desk clutching his wedding picture and looking haunted and lost. Lee felt himself sadden even more at the sight. After all, Laura was technically his mother now. He had even begun to call her mom – jokingly at first, but later it just became habit; it felt right. The young officer didn't move at first. He wracked his brain trying to find the words that would give his distraught father some comfort. Finally, he sighed and spoke the only appropriate words he could find.

"Dad?" his father looked up at him. "She'll be alright. Never give up hope." Bill gave him a weak but grateful smile. Lee smiled back and closed the hatch.

So there it is! Hope you liked it!


	3. Ignorance is Bliss

**Windsor: **Thank you so much for reviewing again. I love the family dynamic as well, and I promise it continues to play a large role throughout my story. I wouldn't have it any other way!

**Starbuck042786: **Updating! Thank you so much for your review. The line you quoted has got to be my favorite of any I have come up with so far. I hope you enjoy the rest!

**Dork: **I love your name by the way! Thank you for the wonderful compliment. I myself cannot stand cheesy stories and so I make myself paranoid while proofreading to make sure I didn't go to far. I hope you'll find I am trying to keep this story as real as a story based on science fiction can be while staying true to the fact that, in the long run, it is still scifi. Also, the awkward repetition of the names in the last chapter was meant to make you feel…well…awkward. It, perhaps, was not as effective as I would have hoped, but I learn from my mistakes (I hope).

**Marisolcaley: **You are welcome for the comment. Here's another! I'm so glad you are enjoying it! I had (and am still having) so much fun writing it! I don't believe I've ever fallen in love with my own story before now!

**GEM8: **Thank you for your compliments! The are greatly appreciated. I'm glad it made you feel something. That was exactly what I was trying to achieve. Also, I love the interaction with Adama and Lee in the series, and I think there needs to be more. So I always try to incorporate a good amount into my own stories.

**Lotrgtw: **Thank you so much! Your review made my day! I hope the next chapter doesn't change your mind!

**_Author's Note_: **All I have to say before you read this chapter is: Remember Battlestar Galactica is science fiction. Just trust me ? And now to the story…

**Present Day**

**New Caprica**

Laura looked on in silent horror as the cylon centurions marched purposefully through the crowded marketplace. She had known this day would come, but never had she expected it so soon. There had even been a small part of her mind that had held the hope that this planet would be safe after all. She supposed that after a year she had fallen into the same fantasy as the rest of the colonists. Internally, she kicked herself. What an incredibly nieve thing to do. Laura Roslin would never have allowed herself to fall for such an obviously unrealistic dream, but Laura Adama could not help herself.

Unable to continue to watch the invasion on the ground, she looked up to the sky. Cylon vessels continued to fly past, but she ignored them. She focused her eyes beyond what she could she and used her mind's eye to picture the Battlestar Galactica fighting courageously above her. It was at that moment that her blood ran cold. As she examined the sky, she noticed that there were no signs of a courageous battle overhead. There were no Colonial ships fighting to keep their freedom and their lives. As he stared up toward the heavens, she could not feel him with her anymore. He had abandoned her just as she had once abandoned him.

1 Month Ago

**Battlestar Galactica**

"_Surely you're not serious," Laura almost laughed at the doctor as he revealed his diagnosis. "That's impossible."_

"_I assure you, Laura, it's not," Cottle did not look amused. He was obviously a man that did not take well to being laughed at._

"_No, I assure_ you _it is," Laura told him, getting more serious herself. "Doctor, I am 53 years – old. Women my age do not get pregnant." It was Cottle's turn to laugh now._

"_Now that's a very naive statement. You only lose the ability to conceive once you have gone through menopause. Just being in your fifties does not make you sterile."_

"_But, doctor, I have been through menopause – over a year ago," Laura responded._

"_Not anymore you haven't," Cottle told her. Laura hesitated. _

"_I don't understand. What exactly do you mean by that?" Laura's voice was almost a whisper now. _

"_I don't wanna go into all the boring details right now, but basically the blood that Baltar injected you with acted as a sort of 'fountain of youth' – spreading through your system and correcting any and all anomalies. It found your disease – it destroyed it. Your reproductive system wasn't functioning – it repaired it." Cottle explained._

"_If it's all been…repaired, then why haven't I been menstruating?" Laura questioned._

"_Well, it would appear as though it took some time for it to spread and make all of its adjustments. You probably would have had you not gotten yourself knocked up before you had the chance," the doctor responded. Laura only nodded silently at his response. "Now, you're currently ten weeks along. That means you have about six and a half months to decide your plan of action."_

"_Thank you, doctor. I'll be in touch," she responded as she rose to leave._

"_Laura, remember to eat as healthily as possible, and find milk wherever you can," Cottle added as she self – consciously fixed her blouse over her still flat stomach._

"_I will. Thank you, Jack," she smiled sincerely. _

"_Of course. I'll see you soon," he answered. Laura nodded to him before turning to leave._

_She didn't remember the walk home. There were too many thoughts running through her mind for any new information to process. _"A baby," _she thought to herself. _"What am I going to do with a baby? Settled or not, we are still hiding from the cylons. There is no guarantee the peace – offer was legitimate. What a terrible time to bring a child into existence." _And yet, she could not help but smile to herself as she held her stomach gently. This child was nothing less than a miracle. Her miracle. Their miracle. A gift. One which she intended to love and protect to the end of her days. It was a promise she made to herself and her child as she sat on the small sofa of her little home and waited for her husband to return._

Present Day

**New Caprica**

As suddenly as the noise of the invasion had begun, it stopped. Centurians stood frozen in their offensive positions in the "main street" of the marketplace, and the ships seemed to have found their destinations. The silence was deafening as 39,000 colonists held their breaths in agonizing anticipation. Laura wasn't sure what she had been expecting, but it certainly wasn't this. Somehow she had pictured a lot more running, screaming, blood, and death than was currently being displayed. In fact, the enemy had so far shown absolutely no open aggression. _"Strange," _Laura thought. She figured she, along with every other human on New Caprica, she would have been dead by now. _"What are they waiting for?"_

Suddenly the centurions moved again. Above, the faint noise of an approaching aircraft could be heard. In a rehearsed mechanical fashion, the cylons moved swiftly to form two lines on either side of the road. Laura watched as the aircraft came closer. She recognized it as a cylon transport vessel and found herself becoming curious. The small ship landed just outside of the market place where she could no longer see it. Abruptly, whispered chatter began to resonate through the crowd, and Laura was on her tiptoes attempting to get a look at what all the fuss was about.

It took only a moment for her to discover what was sending shock waves through the market. Time seemed to move in slow motion as Laura watched the small group of four marched swiftly to the center of the marketplace. Anger began to boil in the pit of her stomach as she watched the President of the Colonies walk unflinchingly alongside three familiar face she had hoped to spend the rest of her life without seeing again: Doral, another Sharon, and Baltar's tall, blonde girlfriend. It took everything she had not to scream. She had known. All that time ago, she had known what Baltar was but lacked the proof to condemn him. She had known the moment she allowed Baltar to win the presidency that humanity was doomed, and now she truly had the proof.

The noise level began to rise as more and more people left their makeshift homes and began to file into any empty space they could find. Parents were running into the tent behind her gathering their children in a panic, and she did nothing to stop them. Every bit of her attention was focused on the events unfolding in the center of the marketplace.

Suddenly, a single centurion moved causing several colonists to panic and scatter. A little red – headed girl was knocked to the ground where she began to wail but was quickly scooped up by her father before he too ran. However, the machine paid them no mind and simply continued his task of grabbing a large box – Laura was fairly certain in contained bananas – and placing it just in front of the blonde cylon. Baltar looked questioningly at the blonde and she smiled, took his hand, and led him to climb on top of the crate with her. There was nearly silence again. The only sound that could be heard was the cries of the bruised child whose face was buried in her father's neck. The president looked around at his people for a long moment before finally speaking.

"You all know who I am. One year ago, you elected me as you president – your leader. You bestowed upon me your loyalty and your trust. You entrusted me with your lives, your futures, and the lives and futures of your children. Today I put that loyalty and that trust to the test. Yes, the cylons have come, but they are not the enemy we once feared. The have come to realize how viciously iniquitous their actions were and have come to us with a proposal. They are aware that they can never truly make up for their actions. Nothing can replace what we have lost, but the cylons now only want to help us save what is left of our race. They wish to help us rebuild our homes, our society, our very lives.

Peace and love are all they desire. Yes, we have all lived through one of the greatest tragedies in our history. Yes, we have all suffered. We have all grieved far more than anyone should have been made to. But that time has ended. It is time now for a new beginning. It is time for us to rid ourselves of the demons of our past and commence a new beginning in which we live in peace. One in which we live without fear. Let us initiate a time in which cylon and man can once again live side by side as family. No more suffering. Today, we finally stop running. Today, we are truly free again."

There was a shocked silence as Baltar's shouted speech ended. Laura allowed herself a small smirk. _"At least the people aren't ignorant enough to believe that load of crap." _However, the smirk faded as a horrifying noise reached her ears. A clap. One single clap echoed through the air. Laura's countenance shifted immediately to enraged horror as she desperately looked about to find the source of the abominable sound, but she was too late. The impulse had already begun to spread like wildfire. At least five were clapping now…ten…twenty…one hundred…one thousand…Then, before she could even remotely take in what was taking place around her, nearly the entire population was applauding and cheering for our president and our newfound "saviors." Glancing, horror struck, through the crowd, she spotted Colonel Tigh. She saw the look of consternation in his eyes mirrored her own as they locked with hers, and for the first time in a long time she wished that she had been able to quell her pride. If she had, she would not be in this ghastly situation. At the very least, she would not be alone. Laura Adama began to cry as she folded her arms around her slightly bulging stomach. She wished she had listened to Bill.

That's all for chapter 3. Chapter 4 coming soon! I'm so excited! I can't wait to hear our thoughts!


	4. Compromise

**Starbuck042786: **I always thought she'd make a great mommy too. Thanks for the compliment! You will definately see Lee's reaction, but for now the actual telling about the baby to Bill is not seen. However, I think you still get a good feel for his reaction. Enjoy!

**CODE:** To answer your question, wherever they lead me! I hope you continue to enjoy the rest!

**Bowedbassgirl: **Mind! No way! I encourage grammar corrections! Thanks a lot! I'd rather someone tell me I got it wrong so I can fix it than continue to do it wrong and look like a fool! Thanks for adding me. It gives me such motivation!

**Dork: **Look! See! Continuing! Please don't hurt me:) Thanks for the comment and the little story. I can relate to that. My aunt was 51 when my cousin was born. I was more referring to the fact that the miracle cylon blood was essentially making Laura 25 again – at least on the inside. Thanks again! Enjoy!

**Tracyj23: **Sorry about that. Originally I had planned to put some of this chapter in the last one, but upon rereading it, it just seemed to long. I can now tell you with absolute certainty that you will find out why they were apart if you just keep scrolling down. Hope you like it!

**Marisol Caley: **Glad I made you happy! Next part is here! Have fun!

**lotrgtw: **Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy this chapter as well!

**GEM8: **Thank you for the compliment! I wasn't aware so many others had the same idea. Great minds think alike I guess! The idea just came to me as I was watching the finale for the first time. My brain always works in strange ways like that. And yes, I agree! LOL! You did let Baltar off nicely!

**Lostineden: **WOW! Did you really? That's so awesome! I have been curious to read someone else's take since I read GEM8's comments. I have been to the survival instinct page in a long time, but I absolutely loved it when I visited it last. I may journey over there sometime again. What is the title of your story if you don't mind me reading it? I love reading A/R fiction almost as much as writing it!

**SGBS4L:** Yeah! I'm glad you're enjoying it. More chapters are coming as fast as I can type them up! Enjoy!

**1 Month Ago**

**Battlestar Galactica**

"_You cannot be serious!" exclaimed an appalled Laura Adama as she paced along her husband's Virgonese rugs._

"_I'm very serious, Laura. It just isn't a good idea anymore. I didn't like it before, and now I think I have a pretty good argument," Bill Adama stated as he calmly stood to the side, watching his wife's movements. _

"_I thought we were past this, Bill. I thought we had an agreement. We made the decision," Laura continued to gesture with her hands as she paced, not actually looking at Bill as she spoke._

"_The circumstances have changed. I don't think it's safe," Bill continued, still just watching Laura move._

"_What exactly isn't safe about it? A raptor takes me down to the planet, Maya and I teach the children for a few hours, and the raptor brings me home. I don't understand what the danger is. The children certainly aren't going to attack me in the middle of a math lesson – that's not saying they won't be tempted," Laura continued. "I've been doing this for almost five months now. Why is it all of a sudden so terribly dangerous?"_

"_Because we're not just talking about your safety anymore!" Bill finally raised his voice. Laura abruptly stopped moving and looked him in the eye, somewhat startled. Immediately feeling sorry for using such a tone, the admiral stepped forward, took Laura's hands, and led her to the couch. "Laura, there is much more to consider now. You and I both know there are a thousand things that can go wrong just with the raptor itself. Allowing you to risk your life is one thing. You are a grown woman and are capable of making your own decisions, but the little one inside of you isn't. Every decision we make impacts it. Do we really have the right to take such a risk everyday knowing that one small incident could end a life before it had the chance to begin?"_

_Silent tears began to form in Laura's eyes as she watched her husband speak. Gods he was good with persuasion. It was one of the reasons she loved him so much. She could always count on him to be her conscience. However, this time she would not give in. She couldn't let Maya and the children down. And what about Hera – Isis now. Laura felt a need to be sure the child that saved her life was safe now more than ever knowing the beautiful gift the baby had given her. She exhaled deeply before speaking. "You should have been a writer," she smiled sweetly. Bill let out a soft chuckle at that but didn't lose his serious demeanor. "I know you're worried, but I have to do this. The children need a teacher. It's a step closer to normalcy for them. I can't just take that away, and Maya can't do it all on her own. Please, Bill, I need this. Otherwise, I'll be spending my life up here in this room being bored and useless."_

"_Taking care of our child doesn't make you useless, Laura. It makes you a mother," Bill replied. "Now, I'm not below begging. Please, stay with me. I've nearly lost you too many times. I don't know if I could take losing you both."_

_His sincerity made Laura blush. Although she would never admit it, he humbled her – everyday. However, she was not giving in. She still had some fight left in her. "I know how you feel. But don't forget, I had to watch you come back from the dead the same as you had to watch me. If you remember, not all that long ago we were enemies. I was in the brig, and you were dying. I'll never forget the feeling I had when Lee was thrown into the brig covered in blood an telling me it was yours or how it felt to see you lying there so helpless in the sick bay. It seemed s impossible that you would live, and I couldn't even cry. I had to be strong for Lee. I understand exactly what you're feeling right now. So, I'm willing to make a compromise." Bill looked into his wife's eyes and saw involuntary tears forming in the corners making him acutely aware of the ones that had began to form within his own. He wanted to wipe them away, but he figured it would only cause him more embarrassment. At least Laura had an excuse for being so emotional. _

"_Compromise?" the admiral questioned, grateful for the change in subject._

"_Yes, I propose that I should continue teaching for four more months. After which I will remain on the Galactica full time until you come to your senses and we go build a cozy little cabin with a lakefront view," Laura scooted closer and put her arms around his neck as she spoke, using her femininity to her advantage. Bill broke eye contact with her as he considered her words. Laura waited patiently as she was use to this reaction from him. After a few long seconds, he closed his eyes, exhaled deeply, and turned to face her once again._

"_Alright," he finally spoke. "Okay. Four months. Not a day longer, right?" Laura nodded her affirmative, suppressing an excited giggle. She knew there was a reason she loved him so much._

"_You have my word, Admiral. In exactly four months I will be back on Galactica permanently. Or at least until the baby's old enough to travel or leave behind for extended periods of time," she grinned playfully at her ending sentence, but her husband did not seem so amused._

"_Laura –" he began sternly. She raised her arms in mock surrender._

"_Kidding!" she announced quickly, giggling at the look on his face. It took a moment, but soon the admiral had joined in on the fun. He never could resist her laugh. She loved him for that too. "Well, not really." She added quickly, her giggles ending suddenly but the playful demeanor remained. She just loved getting him all fired up. Which actually wasn't a bad thought at the moment. _"No! Don't go there, Laura," _she told herself quickly. _"We have company on the way."_Bill had stopped laughing as well, but , being Bill, he became serious once again. He opened his mouth to reply, but didn't get a word out this time due to a familiar knock at the door._

"_And that would be my son," he said in a resigned voice._ _Smiling, Laura took advantage of the situation and leaned over quickly to kiss his lips._

"_Then you had better answer the door. You wouldn't want to leave him waiting would you?"_ _she gave him a sly almost seductive look as he reluctantly rose from his seat._

"_After the bomb we're about to drop, hell, you might wanna keep that airlock of yours warm," Bill teased as he grasped the door handle and turned it. Both he and Laura instinctively took a deep calming breath and smiled reassuringly at each other. _"Here goes nothing." _Laura thought as she repositioned herself in preparation for her stepson's visit._

Yep. It's only a flashback this time. I promise more soon, but between school and work it's hard to get it all typed up. So, as a little teaser, I will tell you that the next chapter consists of a conversation between Laura and Tigh and Lee's reaction to being a big brother again! Love ya!


	5. Faith

**Starbuck042786: **Tee hee hee! Silly me! Thanks for the heads up. Thanks for the wonderful compliment! It was so awesome, that I sat down and typed out this whole chapter in less than an hour! YAY HAPPY REVIEWS! (And maybe a nice keyboarding class here and there). I love the whole family dynamic and am trying to keep it going throughout this fic. The scary random laugh thing was awesome, and I just want to say I know how you feel. I actually think my roommate has gotten use to it from me. She never even blinks anymore! Hope you enjoy this chappy! It's long, but it's one of my favorites! Big surprises await you!

**GEM: **Thanks so much! I hope you like this chapter! It's one of my faves!

**Lostineden: **Thanks for the compliment! I loved your stories and am working feverishly on what you requested. In the mean time, I hope you enjoy this new chapter!

**Marisol Caley: **Thank you very much! I hope you like Lee's reaction! I love this chapter.

**Opapea: **Thank You so very much! Your review made me so unbelievably happy! I'm still holding out hope that they get a happy ending on the show. They so cruelly left us hanging with no idea why Bill and Laura were so far away from each other! It just seemed so wrong! So, here is my solution. I wrote this so that others and I could have some kind of hope to hold us over until October. It seems to be working so far. Hope I don't blow it! Here's the next chapter! I hope you like it! I know it's long, but it's one of my favorites! I love surprises! Oh, also, I share in your experience. My aunt had a baby in her fifties as well.

**Present Day**

**New Caprica**

Laura Adama was hysterical. No, she was beyond hysterical. Once she had arrived on the surface of New Caprica, she had almost understood why the people had elected Baltar. She had relished in the feeling of crisp grass beneath her feet and real sunlight on her face. She remembered inhaling deeply and savoring the scent of pine and fresh flowers that danced in her nostrils. She had reveled in the sound of laughing and playing in the lush emerald fields. She had been so content in the knowledge that humanity had been reborn to start anew. Chief Tyrol had even been kind enough to give her a tour of the planet's designated "safe zone." That was the first time she saw it.

She and the chief where walking through a natural path in the surrounding forest, simply enjoying the fresh air, when both the path and the rows of trees suddenly ended, and they found themselves standing on the edge of a flower–filled meadow. They were arm–in–arm when, and the Chief made a move to continue their walk. But Laura hesitated. It seemed like such a shame to displace even a single petal on those beautiful blessings. However, the Chief had persuaded her with a suave smile and a "Trust me." She had smiled back and allowed him to lead her further through the unknown terrain.

Tyrol had an amused and excited smirk on his face that made Laura curious. He obviously knew something she didn't. As she moved her gaze from his face to the nearly forgotten beauty around her, her companion began to slow his pace. That was the moment she saw it. There, perfectly centered in the colorful meadow, was a pond. Such a thing may seem insignificant to most, but for someone who had been on the run for months on end in the middle of outer space, it was the most beautiful thing anyone could have shown her. She had always loved the water. Already she could picture a life here – a small cabin on one side with a perfect view of the pond and a little dock where she and Bill could fish and hold family picnics. The Chief said that very few people knew about it and those that did did not claim it due to the fifteen-minute walk to and from "town." _"Perfect," _Laura thought to herself. _"Simply perfect."_

Once she was back home on Galactica, it was all she could talk about. Bill had listened in silent amusement with a small sly grin on his face. She described every detail of the place, leaving nothing to the imagination. That was the first time she had asked him and the first time he had said no. He had tried to let her down easy by spouting off a bunch of poetic words about his duty to his ship and his responsibilities as the fleet's Admiral. He did not want to move to the planet and leave both Lee and Colonel Tigh with unwanted responsibilities. He was still not convinced that the cylons weren't coming back, and, to be honest, neither was Laura. After a full day of avoidance and silence and a night alone in bed with Bill on the couch, she had apologized for being angry and agreed with his decision. However, this did not keep Laura Adama from dreaming.

When news about the baby came, it only changed her dream for the better. Now there were three people picnicking on the dock and three fishing poles sitting next to them as she and Bill were teaching their child how to fish. She even entertained herself by imagining different adventures they would have with a son or a daughter whom always seemed to have a different name each time she dreamed of them. The prospect of a name being the most complicated thing in her life appealed greatly to Laura. She knew that very soon her life would be perfect. And then the rain came.

The rain never stopped coming as the air grew colder with each passing day. It washed away the lush green grass and chased away most of the wildlife. Still Laura had continued to visit her pond in her rainbow-like meadow until it flooded and helped the rain to wash her flowers away. That was when Laura decided she hated the rain.

It was raining now again as she paced furiously inside the school tent – a fact that only fueled her rage. Silently, she wished the cylons would rust and their circuits would short out. What was she to do now that Bill was gone – or dead? _"No, Laura. Don't think like that. Bill is not dead. He's alive and figuring out a way to rescue us right now. He's fine." _Gods, how she wished she could make herself believe that.

"Laura?" she started at the sound of a voice. She hadn't heard anyone approaching or entering the tent; however, she was relieved to find it was only Colonel Tigh.

"Oh, colonel, it's just you," she voiced her relief.

"How many times do I have to tell you to call me Saul?" he gave her a small grin, and she did her best to return it.

"Sorry. Old habits I suppose," she responded, the grin quickly fading from her face. As Tigh took in her appearance, his grin faded as well.

"Are you okay? You look like hell." She smiled sarcastically at this.

"Thanks."

"No offense intended. I was just–" he stopped in mid-sentence. "Never mind." Laura allowed her smirk to grow wider.

"Why, Colonel Tigh. Are you worried about me?"

"Now, let's not get hasty," be began to return the banter.

"Don't try to deny it. You can't lie to a teacher. Saul Tigh is actually feeling genuine concern for the terrible, crazy Laura Roslin," she continued.

"No, I am feeling genuine concern for the terrible, crazy Laura Adama and Adama Jr. in there," he corrected. "There's a difference. Now, why don't you sit down before you make yourself sick." The colonel pulled out a chair, his expression more serious now. Laura merely stared at it for a moment, not feeling like sitting at all, but the look on his face convinced her otherwise. He was right. Wow it felt weird to think that. "I'll not have my best friend's pregnant wife catching her death on my watch." She snorted out a small laugh at that.

"With the way things are going now, disease may well be the least of our problems," she said as she sat carefully. Tigh's expression became rather grim.

"Yeah. No kidding," he responded. " I knew that frackhead Baltar would screw us over right from the very beginning. What the hell is he thinking? I mean, I knew he was crazy, but this –" He let the sentence hang open.

"I wish I could say I was surprised, but I can't. I knew. I knew in my gut he had been working for the cylons since before the attack on the colonies. It was only a matter of time before he led them here," Laura told him as he sat in a chair next to her.

"Even if he didn't, he knew there were cylons in the fleet. Any one of them could have given up our position. The decision to settle would have been a disaster no matter who made it. My Gods, what a mess," Saul replied, running his hands over his face exhaustedly.

"There has to be something we can do," Laura used her best diplomatic voice now. "We cannot allow the cylons to win. I will not kneel before a machine. If they're so sorry about what they've done, why don't they go back to being what we made them to be? We have got to do something, Saul."

"No, Laura," the colonel said softly yet sternly. The statement shocked her.

"Excuse me?" was all she could say.

"I said no. Not this time," he answered.

"But the cylons –"

"Outnumber us a thousand to one. How do you propose we fight them off? Papier-mâché ordnance? We don't have the manpower nor the firepower to do anything except get ourselves killed. I don't think I need to remind you that all of our military assets have jumped away to gods only know where."

"Be realistic. Most of our military is down here," Laura defended.

"Yes, either out of shape or out of commission and definitely out of weapons. It's time for _you_ to be realistic. You're scared and alone. I understand that. Hell, I wish Bill were here too. He's always been the one with the incredible master plans that just seem to work themselves out. All we can do is hope that the combined Adama brainpower can come up with one hell of a rescue mission," Tigh rationalized.

"So…what? We just sit back and wait? We do nothing?" she questioned, her voice now practically a whisper in her shock. Saul smiled at her sadly.

"Not exactly," he responded. Laura looked up at him questioningly. "I think a fair amount of prayer is in order." She had no idea whether it was caused by anxiety, her overwhelming feelings of hopelessness, or simply sporadic hormonal imbalances, but she looked down and laughed.

**One Month Ago**

**Battlestar Galactica**

"_Good evening, son," Admiral Adama greeted Lee as he opened the hatch to his quarters._

"_You wanted to see me, sir?" the commander questioned. _

"_Yes, please, come in," Adama stood to the side to allow room for his son to enter. Lee stepped inside wearily, unsure about his father's overly kind behavior. As the admiral closed the hatch, he spotted Laura sitting on the couch. She was watching him with a sweet smile on her face, but her eyes had an unsure appearance. Lee could always tell a lot from the look in her eyes. Hoping to break the tension, he waved shortly to her._

"_Hi, mom," he said in as normal a tone as he could muster, attempting to hide the fact that he knew something was not right. Laura giggled and waved back._

"_Hello, son," she responded in a tone that was somewhere between diplomatic and friendly. Lee had come to know it as her "I'm so nervous I think I might throw up" voice. "Why don't you come over and have a seat?" Lee did as he was told and took a seat directly across from Laura's place on the sofa. The admiral immediately followed him, taking his usual seat next to Laura. There was a few seconds of awkward silence before Lee finally spoke._

"_Is something wrong? You two are acting kind of strange. Actually, you're acting exactly the same way you did when you told me that you were getting married," he said carefully. His parents looked at each other nervously for a split second before turning back to face him and fidgeting uncharacteristically._

"_Well, Lee, that's because we have something else very important to tell you," Laura began then suddenly paled and quickly passed the buck. "Isn't that right, Bill?" Adama looked slightly shocked for a moment before responding._

"_Um, yes. You see, son, Laura and I have just found out that, well--" However, he did not get a chance to finish before Lee learned the reason for his stepmother's sudden change in color. She quickly rose up from her seat and ran straight for the head where she promptly began to empty the contents of her stomach. The commander made a move to go after her, but his father stopped him._

"_No, wait here," he had said as he too rose from the couch and ran after Laura. Lee waited impatiently for them to return all the while contemplating what could possibly have been the cause for the bizarre scene that was playing out in front of him. _

_Several minutes later, the Adamas returned. The admiral was holding on to Laura's arm with a worried expression on his face as she was insisting she was fine and didn't need help walking back to her seat. Once they were seated again, Lee decided it was time to end the fencing._

"_Okay, what's going on here? You two are really starting to scare me. Are you all right, mom? Are you sick?" Laura smiled at his concern._

"_I'm fine, honey. Really I am. The vomiting just sort of comes with the job," she assured him. This left Lee even more confused than before._

"_What do you mean? What job? What's happened that's gotten the two of you so nervous?" he questioned again. _

"_Alright, this is silly," Laura almost laughed. "I'm sorry we worried you. There's really no reason to be concerned."_

"_Okay. So what is it?" Lee responded._

"_You see, Lee, your father and I we're--" she paused a moment to take a deep breath and squeeze her husband's hand. "Well, we're going to have a baby. I'm pregnant." For a moment, Lee said nothing. He simply sat there with an unreadable look on his face. His silence made the couple across from him fidgety again._

"_You're pregnant," he stated more than questioned._

"_That's right, son," his father confirmed carefully, squeezing Laura's hand a little tighter. The sight made Lee grin internally, his countenance remaining like stone. It touched him to see how much they cared about having his blessing. Laura was pregnant. He was going to be a big brother again. What did he think about that? He hadn't been very good at it the first time. If he had, Zak would probably still be here. But what he wouldn't give for another chance to do it right. _

_It was then that he realized his parents were still staring at him with nervous expectation showing on every inch of them. Why was he even asking himself this? He already knew the answer, but what could he say? He debated this for a few more seconds before deciding that he had no clue what to say. Instead, he began to laugh. It was small at first but gradually grew to almost hysterical. Confused, the admiral and the former president looked at each other in disbelief, not sure whether the sudden display were meant as an insult or a compliment. However, Lee quickly cleared up the situation by standing, walking over to Laura and enveloping her in a gentle yet massive bear hug. This made Laura begin to laugh as well as she returned the gesture. After a few seconds, he released the woman who continued to laugh as he turned to embrace his father in a much more aggressive yet joyful way. The admiral folded his arms around his son in return, but remained slightly stiff due to the shock of Lee's uncharacteristic reaction. It was obvious this was not the response he had been expecting. _

_It seemed strange to Lee how much their relationship had changed over the past almost four years. They had never really been close. After Zak died, he had pushed his father completely out of his life. However, since the attack, they had journeyed through both heaven and hell together. That kind of thing can really change a man. Now, he and his father were closer than they had ever been, and Lee had to admit, it felt damn good._

"_Congratulations, both of you," he smiled sincerely as he released his father. "This is amazing." Inside he was overjoyed, but he kept his voice calm with just enough happiness showing through that he could express himself properly without losing his dignity. _

"_So I take it this means you're happy about this?" the admiral asked jokingly._

"_Are you kidding? Don't take this the wrong way, but I never thought I'd get another chance at this," he responded. "I didn't even know you could still have children – you know, after everything." He told Laura._

"_Me neither," she said with a giggle, but something in her voice told Lee she wasn't joking. He decided to let it go without comment and looked at his watch instead._

"_Damn," he muttered before looking back up at his parents. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize what time it was. I've really got to get back to the Pegasus."_

"_Of course," his father responded. "We wouldn't want to keep you from your work."_

"_Well, tonight you're not. It just so happens I have a date with two gorgeous ladies, and I don't want to be late," Lee's smile grew even wider at the thought. Laura's, he noticed, did as well before she spoke._

"_Right, well, say hello to them for me. Have a great time."_

"_Thanks. I will," he responded before giving her one last hug. The admiral followed him as he made his way to the hatch and opened it. But before he left, Lee turned to face him. His father reached out a hand towards him, and Lee immediately clasped it. _

"_It was good seeing you, son," he said sincerely. "And thanks." Neither of them was smiling anymore. It wasn't for lack of happiness but for the want of unmistakable sincerity. _

"_No, dad. Thank you," was Lee's simple reply before turning and exiting the Adamas' quarters._

"_And, Lee," his father called after him, grinning once again. Lee stopped and turned halfway to look at him once more. "Tell the girls hi for me too." Lee smiled and waved his affirmative before continuing his walk back to his raptor._

**Present Day**

**Battlestar Pegasus**

"Dee, are you here?" Commander Lee Adama called out as he entered his quarters, unbuttoning his uniform jacket as he went.

"I'm back here!" he heard her call, he assumed from the bedroom. Unconsciously, he smiled as he made his way back to her. He had just finished removing his jacket when he rounded the corner and found his tiny girlfriend attached to him, holding on for dear life.

"Hey, are you okay? What's the matter?" he asked while returning the embrace.

"I'm fine. I guess I'm just a little shaken is all," she told him as she broke the hug but kept her arms wrapped around his neck. "What's going on, Lee? How did the cylons find us?"

"I don't know. No one does. But there's no way it was by accident. It's too perfect. They brought their whole fleet. Someone had to of given us up," he responded.

"Do you think it was a colonist or someone still in the fleet?" Dee questioned, looking even more frightened than before. Lee internally cursed himself.

"I'm sure whoever it is was on the planet. We knew there were more cylons in the fleet. They probably settled with everyone else to keep from looking suspicious," he attempted to reason in order to calm his frantic lover. "Don't worry." Then suddenly a small distressed sound made them both jump slightly and turn to look in the direction from which it came. Several more came shortly after in succession, causing Lee to break contact with Dee and move toward the source of the noise. Within seconds he was standing over the handmade crib that stood against the wall on the right side of their bed and looking down at the fussing bundle that currently occupied it. Smiling sadly, Lee reached down and lifted his two-month-old daughter into his arms while making shushing noises in an attempt to soothe her.

"Hush now, my little Faith, daddy's gotcha. There's no need to cry. You're safe with me. Hush now," he whispered as he gently rocked her back and forth. His daughter had been born exactly one month before he learned of Laura's pregnancy. Lee had insisted on naming her Faith. He told Dee it was what the baby had given him from the moment he found out about his girlfriend's pregnancy, but Dee had wanted to name their daughter in honor of Lee's stepmother. However, both of them were fond of the other's choice as well. Eventually they had reached a compromise by making the baby's name Laura Faith. She was always called Faith, though, to avoid any confusion.

Lee continued his cooing as Faith continued fussing and Dee moved over to kiss the top of her daughter's head and stroke the baby's soft hair.

"I'm scared, Lee," Dee told him honestly. "I'm scared for her. What are we gonna do? What about all those people back on New Caprica? What about Laura?"

"I don't know, baby," he said quietly while using his free arm to pull her close and kiss her forehead. "But we'll figure something out. I promise. I'm not going to let anything happen to either of you. Do you understand? We're going to fix this and soon. And no way am I letting Laura Faith grow up without knowing her grandmother or her aunt or uncle. Don't worry, okay?" Dee nodded unconvincingly before leaning in close to Lee and continuing to stroke her daughter's hair while listening as Lee began to sing a lullaby his parents had sung to him and his brother when they were very young.

Goodnight and Sweet Dreams My Little One

_It's Time Now to Go to Sleep_

_Tomorrow You'll Wake With the Rising Sun_

_So Don't Take Time To Weep_

_Dance in the Clouds With the Angels Tonight_

_Dream of a World Yet Unknown_

_Do Not Be Afraid – I Will Not Leave Your Sight _

_Go On – Make This Night Your Own_

What! She ships Lee/Dee too! NOOO! Just kidding…well not about the L/D part. Sorry to the Lee/Kara shippers. I love the L/K relationship and read that sort of fic all the time, but I've always seen them as simply best friends instead of lovers. I love Lee and Dee, and those of you that don't probably would if the writers would put their relationship in more than a bunch of flashbacks before the show. No, I'm not pathetically trying to justify my fic. I don't think I need to. I'm just stating my personal opinion.

And how about Lee as a daddy? Yes, there will be lots of baby's simply because, to the colonists, settling on New Caprica meant starting a new life. Essentially, we've got a colonial baby boom on our hands. YIKES! I hope you enjoyed it! Next chapter should have some Starbuck, but I won't say anything else because I'm not sure how far I will go before posting.

Also, when you review, it would be helpful to know if the majority prefers longer chapters like this or shorter ones like some of the others. That way I can know how to break the story down in a way that will keep you interested. Thanks a lot! Sends non-creepy friendly hugs to all!


	6. Deceived

**Author's Note (again): There were a few little words misspelled that I felt really took away from the story, so I had to go back and fix them along with a few other little things from some of the other chapters. If you see any that I missed, please don't hesitate to point them out. Sorry for anyone who thought I added another chapter. Next one coming soon...**

Sorry I don't have time to write out personal thank yous to my wonderful reviewers this time, but I would still quickly like to thank: Doikea, Alesia G, Eklektik, Marisol Caley, Opapea, Lostineden, TurboNerd, GEM, Tracyj23, Code, and Starbuck042786 for all your beautiful, inspiring, and helpful comments!And thanks to DOIKIECARTER from the Gatewold forum for the awesome helpful website that allowed me to be able to post this chapter!

**A/N:** Sorry to those who were anticipating Starbuck this chapter. After much reviewing of the story's layout, my friend/beta-reader and I devised what we hope is a much more interesting way of telling the story...

**Fifteen Months Ago**

**Battlestar Galactica**

_Laura Roslin was dreaming. She was back on Caprica again. She was back in her old house in the suburbs of Caprica City. She could almost smell the vanilla candles she kept in each room. They were her mother's favorite. Her mother. Her mother was lying restlessly on the guest bed in the living room. Her otherwise vibrant red hair had all but fallen out, leaving short, stringy wisps in its wake. And her skin was white and stretched eerily thin over her frail frame. All traces of her mother were gone. The woman she had known to be so strong and healthy and full of life had gone. She had faded away as her disease grew. Leaving Laura lost and empty inside. _

_As she sat down next to her mother, she saw that the woman was sleeping but not resting. She watched as the woman thrashed weakly and whispered to people who weren't there. She spoke gently to Laura's father and sisters, and even Laura's grandparents. All of who had long since passed. She knew there was no since in waking her. Her mother suffered more in reality than when she could escape to the dreams inside her own unconscious mind._

_It was almost time. Laura could feel it. Death was looming over her shoulder – watching, waiting. Soon he would lose his patience and she would be left alone. "Perhaps it will be better that way," she had thought to herself. She had watched her mother suffer for two years, putting her own life on hold in order to care for her. Back when it all began, Laura would have done anything to save her mother's life, but now she found herself praying for an end to the woman's suffering._

_Her mother's death was not in any way glamorous like the movies always dramatized. Laura had suddenly felt a weak grip on her hand and looked down to see her mother's deep blue eyes staring up at her. There had been no stoic acceptance in the gaze. In fact, there was no sign of any kind of recognition at all. There had been no courageous last words uttered in the silence. One minute her mother was gasping weakly for breath, and the next she wasn't. _

_If Laura remembered correctly, it had been raining that day. She had welcomed it then. It was a small comfort to know the Gods were crying with her – she wasn't alone after all. But that didn't stop the pain. The pain had been worse than any she had ever known even to this day. Even more than her own cancer._

_Suddenly Laura was thrust from her nightmares by a tight grip on her hand. She slowly awoke to find Bill Adama's deep blue eyes staring down at her. She squeezed the hand back and forced herself to give him a small smile. He smiled back, although sadly. He tried to hide it, but she could see the unshed tears forming in his despondent eyes. Her heart broke all over again._

"_Good evening, Madam President," he greeted quietly. She giggled softly._

"_Good evening, _Admiral. _What can I do for you today?" she asked in a mockery of their usual conversations._

"_How about sticking around?" _

"_I would if I could, Bill. You know that. I wish I could. I really do. It's a strange feeling when your own mortality hits you, isn't it?" she asked, maintaining eye contact. Adama nodded understandingly._

"_Yes, it is," was his simple response._

"_I knew I was dying. I knew for a long time. But it never actually felt real until I started getting sick a few weeks ago. I never really –" a sharp flash of pain suddenly hit, and Laura found herself doubling over with a cry of pain instead of finishing her confession._

"_Laura!" she heard the admiral exclaim, and his hand began to slip from her grasp as he rose to find the doctor. But she held tighter and pulled him back._

"_No, don't! It'll pass. Just…stay," she told him, almost pleading. She could not see him, her eyes were shut tight against the agony, but she felt him squeeze her hand back as he settled back into his seat. His other hand then came up to stroke her hair away from her now sweat-covered face. A few months ago, this would have been an extremely awkward situation that would have left Laura feeling shy and overly embarrassed, but not anymore. So much had changed. He had changed, she had changed, and neither of them quite knew what this new relationship really was. _

_As the pain began to diminish, Laura laid back against the bed, panting hard and hating the weakness she could feel within herself. Adama continued to comfort her, and she kept her eyes closed, relishing in the feeling of his fingers softly stroking her knuckles and brushing slowly and gently through her slightly dampened hair. Then suddenly an image flashed through her mind. For a moment, she saw her dying mother's face again. She remembered the agony she had felt while sitting at the bedside, helpless, as she witnessed her mother's slow, torturous death. She opened her eyes once more, and they immediately locked with Bill's. He was trying to smile, trying to hide how he was truly feeling, but Laura knew better. She stared into those piercing blue eyes and saw the pain hidden within. She recognized it immediately. She knew it well. It was then that she was certain of what she had to do no matter how much it pained her._

"_Bill," she whispered, unable to do more._

"_I'm here, Laura," she whispered back, gripping her hand a little tighter and leaning in closer to her._

"_Go," she continued. Confusion marred his worn features._

"_What?" he questioned, seemingly unsure of his own ears._

"_Go," she repeated sadly. The hand stroking her hair quickened its pace slightly._

"_I'm not going anywhere," he told her firmly. "I'm here to stay."_

"_NO," she insisted. "Please. Just go. It's better this way."_

"_I can't just leave you," he responded, his voice sounding pained. Without thinking, she raised her free hand to touch his face – something she realized she had never done before. _

"_Yes, you can," she told him softly, stroking her thumb smoothly across his cheek wanting to savor the feeling as a single tear fell simultaneously from both her and his eyes. "And you will. Because, Admiral, this is not a request. It is an order."_

"_Laura –" Bill began to protest._

"_Admiral," she interrupted sternly but not harshly. "I'm dying. We both know that. We have for a while now. It's your job to make sure this ship is running smoothly and the fleet is safe. And you cannot do that by sitting on your ass in the life station waiting for the president to meet her maker. I know your trying to help, and I appreciate it very much. But I want you to go. If you don't, I will spend the last hours of my life worrying because you remaining here means Colonel Tigh is in charge – and I think we both remember what happened the last time." She gave him the best sly grin she could manage. Bill cracked a smile at that as well, probably unconsciously, but still._

"_I'm not sure I will be able to carry out your orders, Madam President," he told her sincerely._

"_Then don't do this for the president. Do this for me – as Laura. Don't do it for your boss. Do it for your friend. If you really care for me like I think you do, you'll do this one last thing for me."_

_The admiral did not reply. He simply watched her, without blinking, seemingly in search of something. Truth? Sincerity? A sign that she wasn't serious? Laura couldn't be sure of which it was, but she kept her eyes locked with his, assuring him that everything was all right; that he could leave without guilt. Not long after, he closed his eyes briefly, sighed, then opened them to stare directly into hers once again. _

"_Alright," he finally whispered in agreement. She smiled at him as widely as she could manage, doing her best to keep anymore tears from falling._

_Bill stood slowly, his hand stilling its soothing motion in her hair. For a moment, he stood over her, simply watching as if memorizing every detail. Her smile relaxed as she observed him. Then, before she knew what was happening, he leaned down and kissed her forehead lingeringly. She could no longer hold her tears at bay as she felt his own fall gracefully onto her pale face and roll gently into her already damp hair. Closing her eyes tightly, she was unable to stifle a small sob as. She could feel Bill's body begin to shake as he lifted his lips ever so slightly away from her brow and rested his cheek against the side of her face._

"_I am always with you," he whispered softly, his voice smoother than she had ever heard it. She opened her eyes again as he stood, her ear tingling from the loss of the caress of his warm breath upon it. He did not say another word, and she found herself unable to speak. Adama watched her for one more moment, stroked her hair one last time, and turned to leave. However, Laura did not let go of his slipping hand as he walked far enough away for their grasp to break. He turned back to look at her questioningly._

"_Bill?" she whispered, her voice barely audible over the surrounding machines and the constant, rhythmic hum of the ship's engines. "Don't forget me." She didn't try to mask the fact that it was a plead, not a question or an order. He smiled at her and blessed her with that heart-melting look he reserved specially for her._

"_Never," he responded sincerely. Laura smiled back and gently released his hand. He took this as her dismissal and once again turned to leave. She let him go this time – watching him until he was out of sight. She understood now why the Gods had given William Adama to her at this dark time in her life. It was not a punishment or some sort of cruel joke as she had begun to believe. No. They had brought this man into her life to comfort her, complete her, and love her as no one ever had before. She knew then that she was finally content. She had finally found peace. And now, Laura Roslin wasn't afraid to sleep. _

**Present Day**

**New Caprica **

**Three months into Cylon Occupation **

It was worse than she had originally feared. After their arrival, the cylons had immediately begun to "improve" New Caprican life. They had begun with medicine and healthcare. They cured the sick, including Starbuck's husband, and even built a sort of hospital. Food was next. Their cylon overlords made sure that no one went hungry. Even Laura had to admit that knowing you could eat as much as you like everyday was something she had sorely missed, especially now that she was eating for two. Real, warm homes were promised next, although the colonists were no longer in a hurry. Spring had returned to New Caprica.

Laura had plans to return to her pond today. Surely the flowers will have bloomed by now. She had excepted Bill would not be returning – at least she tried to convince herself she had. He had lied to her in sick bay the day her former body died. From the moment he had fled, she could no longer feel him with her. So she had pretended to move on. She went through the motions of living with no pining or mourning. She reverted back to living the only other way she knew – independent and alone.

She had an appointment with Dr. Cottle today. That was where she was now, in the unusually crowded waiting room of the cylon-made hospital. Cottle wasn't the only attending doctor, but he was the only one Laura would trust, no matter how rude he was. She also had Isis today. After the invasion, the cylons decided there was no longer a need for human teachers, so the only way she could see the child was to watch her for a time in order to give the exhausted Maya a break. Once they were finished here, they were going to head to the meadow. Laura was excited to show the place to Isis. She knew the toddler would love it.

"Mrs. Adama?" Laura looked up at the sound of her name.

"Yes?" she replied with a kind smile.

"Dr. Cottle can see you now," the young nurse grinned back, looking slightly nervous and shaky as she spoke; just as many did when speaking to the former president.

"Thank you," Laura told her as she attempted to rise from her seat. The nurse reached down to help her up as she noticed Laura's lack of success. She nodded her thanks, took Isis' hand, and headed to the room, her face blushing with slight embarrassment. Saul usually escorted her to just about everything. However, something last minute had come up, and he had not been able to accompany her. Now, she was perfectly capable of doing such things on her own, but she just wasn't use to no one being there to pick her up when she couldn't stand on her own.

"Good morning, Madam President. How are we today?" the doctor greeted in his usual demeanor as she entered. But, as always, he cracked a small smile at the sight of Isis. "Well hello there, Isis." The small girl wrapped her arms around Laura's leg and buried her face into the side of her knee, peeking playfully at the doctor with one eye. Cottle chuckled.

"We're doing fine," she responded with a smile.

"Well let's see, shall we?" Laura raised an eyebrow. "Our cylon friends have finally been kind enough to grace us with a sonogram machine. Now lay back." Laura automatically did as she was told, and Isis stayed standing by the edge of the makeshift bed.

"How would they get one of those?" she questioned as she settled herself on the less than comfortable piece of furniture. "Surely they didn't build it."

"My best guess, judging its condition and the label on the side, would be one of the colonies. That's where most of all this came from," the doctor answered as he took a bottle of clear fluid out of one of the cabinets.

"Are you sure it's safe?" asked the startled Laura.

"I wouldn't be using it if I wasn't," he said matter-of-factly.

"Right," she relaxed.

"Now pull up your shirt," he ordered.

"Excuse me?" she questioned. Cottle rolled his eyes.

"In order for this to work, I do need to see that gut of yours. Now lift the shirt. I've got a lot of patients waiting," he continued impatiently.

Kicking herself for being so clueless, Laura pulled her oversized shirt above her stomach and laid it to rest on her breast. She was thankful that Maya had been able to loan her maternity clothes that the woman no longer had a use for. Dr. Cottle removed the cap from the bottle then turned to look at her.

"This is gonna be cold," he warned her only seconds before squirting her swollen belly with the freezing, gel-like substance. The shock of it made her jump, but she quickly adjusted to it. The doctor then grabbed a small, oddly shaped device that was attached to the machine (she made a mental note to learn all the names of these things) and began to run it across her stomach. Laura watched him for a moment before quickly turning her gaze to the monitor that was located the left near her feet.

It took no more than a second for the image to appear. She gasped as she saw it, raising one hand to cover her mouth – almost disbelieving her own eyes. There in front of her was the face of the child she had been carrying within her for over seven months now. She could she its every feature almost as clearly as if it were a photograph or a video rather. Without blinking, she lay still watching her baby's every movement as she felt them happen within herself. In fact, she had been so entranced that she nearly fell off the bed when a loud, rapid rhythm suddenly filled the room.

"Oh, my Gods," Laura whispered in awe. "Is that –?"

"Your baby's heartbeat. Yes, ma'am," Cottle confirmed with a slightly out of character smile.

"Waz tha, Aunty Laur?" Isis questioned in excited innocence, pointing fervently at the monitor.

"_That _is Aunty Laura's baby," Laura answered sweetly.

"Baaby Laur! Baaby Laur!" the toddler shouted excitedly, giggling at the idea.

Laura smiled at the girl's thrill and laid back with her eyes closed, listening intently to the beautiful soothing music of her child's heartbeat until she felt the device on her stomach move again. Opening her eyes, she watched the image move slowly along the child's body, reaching its legs just as she felt another sharp kick.

"Well, Laura, it doesn't look as if we'll get to see the baby's sex today," the doctor told her as he studied the screen. She glanced at him for a moment then back at the screen and saw what he was talking about. The baby's left arm and leg were situated in just the right position as to hide whether Bill had contributed an X or a Y chromosome. The discovery gave her both disappointment and relief. She wasn't sure if she even wanted to know.

"That's okay," she assured him, still beaming with joy. "I don't think I want to know just yet. I like surprises."

After that, she allowed herself to relax once again, closing her eyes and listening to the steady beat that reverberated throughout the tiny room. Her hormones began to take over as she wished her husband were there to enjoy this moment with her. She never hated the cylons more than she did at that moment. Had it not been for them, he would be. Except they would be safe on the Galactica in the much more sterile life station and not in some cylon-made shack. But they did come, and her family had left. She was alone again. She wanted nothing more than for her child to grow up with a real family, unlike herself, but the cylons had stolen any chance of that away. And the people did not seem to care.

There was no resistance. They hadn't even put up a fight. Everyone seemed to have settled into their now lives beautifully – marrying and starting families. She had even been there when Cally had given birth to Chief Tyrol's first child – a girl who Cally had surprisingly named Sharon. The couple, Laura had noticed, had even become good friends with Kat whose infant son, William, had been born only a few days before little Sharon. Kat spoke often with Laura as well. Her husband had also been on the Galactica, and Laura had been shocked when even she showed no interest in a rebellion. She didn't want to admit it, but the cylons had truly become the saviors that they had aspired to be. _"Damn you, Gaius Baltar," _she cursed in her mind.

This was not the time for such thoughts though. This was her time. It was a time for her to count her blessings and enjoy what she still had instead of pining over what she had lost. So Laura Adama relaxed to the quick, steady rhythm that danced through every inch of her. And then the first explosion hit.

Instantly, all the beautiful sounds that had filled the room silenced as Isis let out a shriek and Laura sat straight up in terror.

"What was that?" she demanded, looking to Dr. Cottle.

"An explosion, I'd imagine," he answered, sounding slightly nervous – a tone she had never heard out of him before.

"An explosion? Why? You don't think the fleet –?" she began hopefully, but Cottle interrupted.

"No, Madam President. Trust me, it's not the fleet," he told her in an almost sad tone.

"Give me a towel," she demanded, holding out her hand to him.

"I don't think that's a good idea. Just stay where you are. It'll be over soon enough," the doctor explained, then lit a cigarette and took a deep breath.

"Doctor, if you know something that I don't, I suggest you start filling me in, and put that damn cigarette out before I really start to get angry," Laura found her political voice once again. Cottle looked at her then down at the cigarette in his hand before turning and smoldering it in a nearby ashtray.

"I could tell yuh," he looked back up at her before continuing sincerely, "but you're not gonna like it." He ten stood and handed her a towel. She took it slowly and began to clean her stomach off.

"I'm not concerned over whether I'll like it or not –" Another large explosion rang out, closer this time, followed by the distinct sound of rapid gunfire. Laura's body tensed even further as she pulled her shirt back down. Isis was near hysterical now. Not understanding what all the loud noises and tension were about, the toddler's cries could also have been described as ear-piercing screams. Quickly, Laura bent over far enough to pick up the young girl and sit her on her lap. The child latched onto her as if Laura were her oxygen. "I just want to know what the frak is going on."

"Don't worry. Were perfectly safe in here," Cottle told her, obviously avoiding the question.

"I'm sure of it," Laura replied in what she hoped was a patient voice, "but that wasn't my concern." Cottle took a deep breath before continuing.

"_That _is the sound of the resistance," he told her simply. Her eyes widening was the only physical sign of the tremendous shock she was experiencing.

"Resistance?" she questioned. "There is no resistance."

"I assure you there is," Cottle stated emotionlessly.

"No. No, that's impossible. See, someone would have told me. And there's no way that Colonel Tigh wouldn't know," she kept speaking in a shocked and slightly disoriented tone.

"What are you talking about? Of Course Tigh knows. He ad Chief Tyrol lead the frakkin' thing," Cottle responded in a voice that sounded as if he wanted to laugh a her.

"No –" she began to speak but found herself at a loss for words. Tigh knew? Tyrol knew? That would mean that Cally would have known, and if Cally knew, that meant Kat almost certainly did – "Who – who else?" she asked the question hesitantly as she absently stroked Isis' thin black hair, trying to comfort the terrified child.

"Well, I suppose there's no harm in telling you now," he told her lightly as the sounds of gunfire and explosions continued to ring out behind the occupants of the windowless room. "There's too many to name everyone, but I'll go through the ones that you would care about. You know Tigh and Tyrol, then there's Cally, Kat, Anders, Starbuck, and Maya. Plus about half the rest of the settlers." Laura would have been lying if she said the last three names did not come as a shock, though she supposed they shouldn't have.

"Anders, Starbuck, and Maya?" she questioned rhetorically. Laura had attempted to recruit the former two months ago for her own little uprising, but, other tan Colonel Tigh, they had seemed the least interested of all. That had been a shock as well. Of all people, she had expected them to be the first to agree, but instead they had flat-out refused, saying something about how they saved Anders from death and the rest of humanity from extinction. That probably should have been the first sign that something was wrong, but she hadn't picked it up.

Then there was Maya. Laura had to admit that Maya was the last person she would have expected to be among the rebellion. Not that Maya supported he cylons, but because she had a fourteen month old daughter to look after. The woman had spoken of her hatred for the cylons and her wishes to do something about them, but whenever Laura would mention a resistance, Maya brushed it off with a polite laugh, saying that she had to think of Isis.

Tyrol, Cally, and Kat were the easiest to believe. It was true that they each had a young child, but they were not civilians as Maya was. The three of them were always around each other. Now, come to think of it, Laura could even recall several occasions when she had entered the room to find the trio in the middle of a heated discussion only to have them silence themselves immediately at the first notice of her presence. At those times, she had brushed it off as them being polite by stopping their "argument" for a guest. She supposed that should have been an obvious sign as well. She wanted to kick herself for not being smart enough to put two and two together, but the past year and a half had changed her – for better or worse, she wasn't quite sure. And these people were her friends. Her friends had _lied_ to her.

Of the few people Cottle named, Colonel Tigh had been the hardest to hear. It still seemed strange to her that she would think like that. After all, it hadn't been all that long ago when they despised each other. When she had come back from Kobol, the commander had literally ordered them to get along. Laura hadn't pulled rank and refused simply because she was incredibly happy to have the fleet back together, considered herself damn lucky to still have a job and her friend, and figured Adama could really use a break. Things had gotten progressively better after that, as long as Ellen wasn't around. He had even adamantly supported her in the presidential elections, going so far as to cheat.

Once they were on New Caprica and the cylons invaded, the colonel had taken it upon himself to care for Laura n his best friend's absence. He visited her frequently, fetching her anything she needed setting up appointments with the doctor, and even cooking (which he wasn't bad at considering what he had to work with). She had never asked her for anything – he simply did it as if it were a perfectly normal action. In the past three months, no matter how wrong or unexpected it may be, the two had actually began to become, well...friends.

At least she thought they had. Though now she was seriously questioning that thought. He had lied to her. Everyday for the past three months, he had smiled, looked her in the eye, and lied. Everyone of them had. Why would they do such a thing? Why go to such lengths to hide the very thing she wanted the most from her? Did they see he as merely a liability because of her current circumstances? Or perhaps they never were her friends. Perhaps they only tolerated her in an effort to keep her out of their business. Her rational side told her they had done it to protect her, but, unfortunately, as another explosion shook the room, she wasn't feeling very rational at the moment.

"And you?" Laura tried to keep her voice calm.

"What about me?" Cottle asked, playing dumb.

"Were you part of this resistance?" she continued.

"Yes, sir," he answered, addressing her formally, slightly uncomfortable again.

"Then why are you here? Why aren't you out there?"

"Special request from Colonel Tigh," the doctor grinned slightly. "He set your appointment so you'd be here when the time cam. That's why this place is so overcrowded this morning – resistance members trying to keep their families safe. He – we were only trying to protect you, Laura," he told her sincerely, placing a hand on hers.

That was when the rage came. The emotion hit her like a freight train. The pure strength of it frightened her. It was something she had never felt before. Bill had described it to her once, a long time ago. Just the idea of feeling something like that had mad her extremely nervous, but now it dwelled beneath her skin and lurked beneath her chest. And she found herself welcoming it.

She stood slowly, Isis on her hip, fixing her infamous glare directly at the aging physician. She had struck fear into the hearts of many men with that gaze, but Jack Cottle had always been an exception until now. She had him right where she wanted him. It was time to let him know exactly what she thought about all of this. But then yet another explosion hit. It had been so close this time, it felt as if an earthquake had struck the makeshift hospital. All that Laura could hear was the sound of screaming and metal crashing against metal before everything went dark.


	7. Questions

**justafan:** Thanks so much for the review. The heroic return is creeping closer. I promise!

**bowedbassgirl** YAY for you! I haven't listened to any of the writer meeting podcasts, but, yes, there is a tremendous significance to Laura's stem-cell treatment.

**Code:** LOL! Yep! They sure made a mistake there! At least in Laura's eyes. Sorry for the long wait.

**Alesia G** You're absolutely right. But Laura's just having some trouble coming to terms with what she sees as betrayal. She'll eventually understand. Whether she'll ever accept it or not remains to be seen.

**vangoghadmirer**: Sorry for the wait! Next chappie is here! Hope you enjoy it!

**Opapea** Yes, poor, clueless little Laura. I almost felt bad doing it to her, but it was necessary. I hope Isis sticks around next season as well, but, if not, she'll definately be around my fic somewhere!

**marisolcaley:** Thank you so much! Never fear! The next part is here!

**TurboNerd:** Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!It makes me so happy to hear that! I'm so glad I've won you ever! I hope the rest continues to please!

**Author's Note:** Finally I get to post the next chapter! I know it took forever, but life is unpredictable. I've been dying to post this for a while now, so I decided to skip school so I could finish typing it and get it up! I know, BAD LLAMA! I won't do it again. I promise! Crosses fingers

* * *

**Six Months Ago**

**Battlestar Pegasus**

"William Adama, sit down this instant. I'm getting nervous just watching you," Laura Adama scolded her husband as he paced back and forth across the floor directly in front of her. Upon hearing his wife's voice, Bill stopped in mid-stride and looked up to her face. She wasn't lying. She was definitely nervous. Maybe even more nervous than he was. But she would never let it show. To the outside observer, the small woman would seem calm and collected as she sat, cross-legged, on the edge of the sterile white bed along one wall of the Pegasus' life station. However, those closest to her always knew the truth. Evidence of the former president's discomfort was obvious only in the little things she did. Although she tried to hide it, her uneasiness showed in how the muscles in her body tensed ever so slightly, and her eyes remained just a bit wider than normal and glistened with unspoken concern. Occasionally, she would even begin to sway unconsciously if the situation was serious enough. Bill had decided long ago, "She's cute when she's like that."

"Now, what exactly are you smiling at?" Laura's voice shook him from his reverie. She had crossed her arms in front of her chest and cocked her head slightly to one side with a puzzled glint in her eyes. At first the admiral was confused as well, not knowing what she was talking about, but quickly he realized that a small grin had crept its way onto his lips as he observed the grace before him.

"You," he responded simply.

"Me?" Laura questioned, still looking confused.

"Yes," Bill affirmed.

"Why?" the teacher continued. The admiral's nerves wouldn't allow him to suppress a chuckle as he answered.

"Because I think you're more anxious than I am."

"Only because you're making me that way," she defended.

"Why, Laura Adama, I cannot believe you're trying to blame me. I'm insulted," he tried to hide a smirk as best he could.

"Well, if you'd sit down instead of wearing a hole in the floor, I'd sure feel a lot better!" Laura did not look as amused Bill had hoped. So, fearing for his physical well-being, Adama moved to take a seat next to his wife.

"Better?" he asked, placing a hand on top of one of hers.

"A little," she gave him a small smile, squeezing his hand a bit tight for comfort.

"Honey, I know we didn't bring any pencils, but I'd really like to keep my fingers in tact," Bill said urgently yet gently, gritting his teeth a little. Realizing what he meant, Laura loosened her grip significantly, grinned, and let out a single laugh that was almost a sigh.

"Sorry," she responded sheepishly. "I just can't imagine what's taking so long" Bill smiled back at her response, placing one arm around her shoulders.

"These things take time," he reassured.

"How did you become Mr. Cool all of a sudden?" Laura asked with the same tired grin.

"What are you talking about? I'm always cool," the admiral smiled. Laura laughed more freely this time.

"And so the pacing was…"

"Exercise," he answered lightly. Laura giggled.

"And here I thought that the great Admiral William Adama was _actually _nervous," the woman responded, playfully sarcastic.

"And here _I _thought my wife would know me better than that," he shook his head slowly, giving her a fake wounded look.

"Nope. Sorry. I only married you for your looks," Laura grinned with that beautiful, playful glint in her sparkling emerald eyes.

"I never knew you were that desperate," he answered.

"Desperate? Oh, no. I can honestly say you are the single most attractive admiral I have ever met," her mischievous gleam intensified as she inched closer and layed a hand on his chest, just below his neckline.

"With my competition being what – Admiral Cain?" Bill continued, doing his best to keep from showing the seductive redhead the effect she was having on him. Laura giggled again as she began to play with the buttons on his collar. "In that case, I think it's safe to say that you have the single best set of legs of any president I've ever met."

"Ooh. As opposed to Adar and Baltar?" Laura raised an eyebrow in question.

"And a few even less attractive beings," Bill confirmed.

"So you only love me for my legs?" it was Laura's turn to look hurt. Bill shrugged.

"Call it a bonus," he responded, placing a gentle hand on the side of her face.

"Mmm hmm," was all Laura could say before the admiral brought his lips to hers, effectively silencing any reply.

"If the two of you are gonna do that, kindly use your own bed. Most patients prefer clean sheets, believe it or not," Doctor Cottle's sudden interruption startled the Adama's, and they broke apart with a small jump. Bill had to suppress a chuckle as he watched Laura's naturally pale face rapidly turn an amazingly bright shade of red while she lowered her head toward the ground, suddenly finding her hands that she had quickly moved to her lap very interesting.

"Good evening, major. What's the word?" the admiral questioned, not embarrassed in the least about the interruption.

"If you're done inspecting each other's tonsils, then I guess the word's congratulations. You're now the proud grandparents of a healthy, 7lb 4oz-baby girl. And before you ask, her mother's doing just fine as well. Daddy's lookin' a little woozy though," the doctor informed them.

"Can we see them?" Bill asked hopefully.

"They're askin' for you," Cottle affirmed. Bill smiled, took Laura's hand, and headed for the Pegasus "delivery room." They paused only for a second as Laura nodded sheepishly to the doctor then continued on their way.

"You did that on purpose."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"That was incredibly embarrassing, Admiral," Laura told him as they walked, using her "political" voice.

"My apologies, Madam President, but I rather enjoyed it," Bill played along.

"You always do," the former president confirmed.

"You did too…at least until Doc Cottle walked in."

"Now you're catching on."

"I got both our minds off of all this, didn't I?" the admiral defended.

"Excuses won't save you, Adama," Laura's tone never changed.

"Alright, what exactly will?" he questioned, grin never leaving his face as they stopped just outside the entrance to Dee's room. Laura leaned in and kissed him lightly.

"We'll see," she grinned while turning the door handle then rotating to knock softly.

"Hello? Any room for two more in there?" Laura asked playfully as she opened the door a crack.

"Of course! Come in," Dee smiled brightly as Laura opened the door completely and they entered the small, sanitary room. Dee was sitting up in her bed, covered up to her waist with awkwardly familiar-looking sheets, and an elderly nurse was fussing over a few machines nearby. Lee was standing next to his wife's bed on the side closest to the door, staring down in awe at the tiny bundle wrapped up in his arms, apparently unaware of their presence.

"I'll give you a few minutes here, but then I'll really need to take the baby to the nursery," the kind faced nurse informed them after finishing her work. She began to walk away but hesitated and turned to face the new parents. "And it would be nice if the two of you could give me a name for her by then."

"We will," Anastasia assured her, then looked to Lee who was still in a trance. "I hope." She added with a grin. The nurse smiled back then left the room quietly, closing the door behind her. Bill and Laura remained awkwardly in their positions a few feet inside the doorway, slightly put off by Apollo's state. Dee gave a little giggle at the sight of them.

"Come in. It's okay. He's just a little…shocked. Didn't you ever talk to him about the birds and the bees, admiral?" the lieutenant smiled playfully.

"No, actually. I kind of left that to his mother. Although, I'm not sure she ever did either," he responded. Laura gave him an odd look for this then shook her head. Ignoring her, Bill slowly approached his son, stopping only inches away and keeping his eyes on the man's face. For a long moment there was silence.

"She's so perfect, dad," Lee finally broke the quiet, his eyes never leaving his daughter. Bill moved his gaze to the fidgeting baby in his son's arms.

"Yes, she is," he responded proudly.

"Every movement, every detail, every sound she makes is just so –" the younger man stopped, seemingly at a loss for words. The older man smiled, looking back at the commander.

"I know, son." Upon hearing these words, Lee finally looked up, his crystal blue eyes meeting his father's own identical ones.

"Wanna hold her?" he asked, grinning.

"More than anything," Bill answered sincerely. Lee's smile grew as he carefully placed the baby into his father's waiting arms. Adama held her carefully, admiring her tiny features and making small shushing sounds as the newborn began to fuss. She was still that distinct newborn-pink that all babies were born as but had already began to darken a little as genetics demanded. Her eye color was not yet apparent. They were still the neutral deep blue that all children were born with, and she already had a small patch of soft black hair at the top of her head. But she was very much Lee Adama's daughter. Bill could already see his son's features very clearly in his granddaughter's face. He could feel the younger Adama's gaze on him and the baby constantly and felt an overwhelming sense of pride take a hold of him. Lee would be a good father – better than he ever was.

"Come on, Laura. It's okay. She won't bite," Dee's giggle awoke Bill from his introspection. He looked up to see his wife still standing awkwardly just inside the doorway with her arms crossed over her midsection.

"Yeah, come on, mom. She's your granddaughter too," Lee encouraged. Laura smiled, some of the blush returning to her cheeks as she dropped her arms to her sides and approached the rest of her family. Slowly, she came to stand beside Bill and laid one arm on his shoulder while admiring the tiny baby in his arms.

"Oh, she's beautiful," Laura whispered, bringing a finger up to stroke the girl's cheek.

"Here, why don't you say hello?" Bill carefully moved the newborn so as to offer her to his wife. The admiral was sure the woman's acceptance was an automatic reaction because once the child was in her arms, her expression most closely resembled that of a deer caught in headlights. The man and his children shared an amused grin before turning back to observe the former president who chose that moment to let out a short series of giggles.

"What's so funny?" Lee asked, looking bewildered.

"I'm sorry. I was just thinking. I've only been a mother for months, and I'm already a grandmother!" she laughed again, this time joined by the others.

"Well, in an odd way, that sort of brings us to the next subject – her name," Dee informed her, sounding slightly sheepish. Laura gave her a quizzical glance. "I – we were wondering how you would feel if we were to name her Laura, after you?" The elder Adama wife's face shifted quickly into her adorable shocked yet touched expression, much like when the crew named the self-made stealth ship after her. But this time it was different – deeper somehow. This time, her stepson and daughter-in-law were asking to give their _child _her name. Laura was visibly moved.

"I – of course. If that's what you would like. I 'd be honored," she responded, grinning sweetly at the couple. Dee was positively beaming as she replied.

"I guess it's settled then," Lee turned and smiled at his wife before turning back to face his parents.

"Allow me to introduce Laura Faith Adama," the man said proudly. Laura's smile broadened as she looked back down at the very awake baby in her arms.

"Hello, Laura Faith," she spoke softly as the girl gripped her finger in a solid vice. "I'm your grandma, but I think me and you can come up with a better title than that when you're a bit bigger. Grandma just makes me feel so old, and we wouldn't want that would we?" Laura Faith made a small gurgling noise. "I knew you'd agree."

"Oh, boy. She's known you for two minutes and already she's a grandma's girl," Lee joked.

"It's a Laura thing," the woman gave him a sly look.

Bill couldn't help but grin as he observed his beautiful family. It warmed his battle-worn heart to see his son marvel over his first child as the admiral recalled doing himself on many occasions and to see the youngest Mrs. Adama, although exhausted by hours of labor, watching over them silently. But, oddly, the most touching sight was the image of _his _wife as she gently rocked their granddaughter in her arms and said hello to the newest member of humanity's future.

**Present Day**

**Battlestar Galactica**

**Three Months After Invasion of New Caprica**

"Have you been playing with me, Sharon? With us? Is that how they keep finding us?" Admiral Adama's voice was nearly a whisper as he stood outside the cell that had become the cylon's home.

"You ask me that so often, yet you never get your answer. Why do you keep trying?" she responded, her voice monotone as it had been since the death of her child.

"My family is back there. I need to know. Is it you? Did you tell the cylons where to find us? Did you lead them here when you knew we were more vulnerable than ever? Do you keep leading them to this fleet now?" Adama continued questioning. The recon mission to New Caprica had been a failure. All of their remaining raptors that they had pilots for jumped just inside dradias range. As much intel as possible was gathered, but the cylons had been waiting for them. There were very little pilots still in the fleet and even fewer qualified to pilot a raptor, so any information gather would have been limited anyway. But they lost two more people that day, and all they learned was that they were hopelessly outnumbered and obviously not welcome. When the raptors returned, the cylons had followed, and they had been running ever since. They were quite literally back where they had started – nowhere to hide, no real way to fight back, and no hope of survival.

"What if it was? What would you do? Hold me at gunpoint and demand that I tell them to back off? Or how about toss me out an airlock like your girlfriend tried to do?" Sharon questioned.

"Would it matter?" he already knew the answer.

"You killed my baby. Why should I help you save yours?" the cylon once again answered with a question, her face stony and emotionless.

"I've told you time and time again that I did not order the death of your child. I don't make a habit of murdering children of any kind. It's you that can't accept that these things just happen sometimes," the admiral defended, trying not to let his anger show through.

"Okay, maybe you didn't order it. But if not you, Roslin did. She didn't hesitate in ordering my execution on sight. Why should I believe that she would treat my daughter any differently?"

"Because children are Laura's life. She would never be able to kill a child out of fear – especially one that saved her life. Your daughter is dead, and for that I am truly sorry. The sooner you accept that, the sooner we can all get on with our lives."

"I will never be able to accept it, admiral. You don't understand. She was my sole purpose for living. Without her, I have no meaning – no reason to be alive. You killed me the moment you killed her. What I don't understand is why I'm still here. Why are you doing this to me?" for the first time in over a year, Sharon raised her voice. "I'm tortured every moment that I'm alive and she isn't! For an entire year, even you have had no reason to keep me around! Yet here I am, admiral! Why?" Her voice then took back its old tone. "It's not about me. It's about you. Even after almost two years, you can't accept who and what I am. You think keeping me here is somehow going to answer your question, but it doesn't work that way. No one knows why. Sometimes there isn't a reason for things – they just are."

Adama hesitated before responding, "Maybe you should try listening to your own advice. I know the torture you feel after the death of a child. It never gets better, but you have to move on. It's part of being alive – living."

"I didn't think cylons could be alive," Sharon argued.

"The jury's still out," Adama admitted. At first, Valerii didn't speak. She watched the admiral with a calculating gaze.

"At least your son had a chance to live. You had a chance to know him and watch him grow. My daughter never got that chance. I'll never get to know her or watch grow into a woman. Find your wife and child on your own, admiral. I can't help you. And I'd hurry if I were you."

"What exactly is that suppose to mean?" Adama questioned urgently, the possible implications of that last comment turning his stomach to ice.

"Laura Roslin holds the destiny of both humans and cylons alike. It won't be long until the others figure it out," Sharon answered, hanging up the phone and walking back to her bed.

"What are you talking about? What destiny? Sharon? What does that mean? Sharon!" the admiral's efforts were futile as the only response he received was a cold, stony glare from a broken machine.

* * *

"How long until we jump for Ragnar?" Commander Lee Adama asked his father over the COM.

"Two minutes," the admiral replied mechanically. "Once we're docked, we have to take as little time as possible loading as much equipment as we can. We don't know when the cylons will decide to show up again and take us out for good. When we're finished, we start our return journey. Helo's plotting the fastest route he can manage, but there's still a matter of avoiding the cylons."

"It's taken us three months just to make it back here. Let's assume the cylons strike harder and faster as time progresses. I hate to say it, but how do we even know there's anything left to save?" Lee questioned tiredly. Adama hesitated as the sound of a baby's cries could be heard in the background from the commander's end.

"I have to believe there is, son. I have to try," Bill paused in an attempt to keep his emotions at bay. There was silence at Lee's end for a moment.

"I understand, dad," he finally responded. "I'll see you at Ragnar Station."

"See you then. Galactica out," Adama placed the receiver back in its place a little harder than usual but did not let go. Instead his grip tightened as his emotions threatened to overtake him. A single tear ran down his cheek as he thought of Laura alone on that godsforsaken planet with their baby's due date rapidly approaching. He needed to get back there; fast. He had not forgotten the oath he had taken the day they were married, and he planned to honor it to whatever end may come. He would not lose another wife and another child. It would break him completely – he knew it would. He would die with them here in the vastness of deep space. But they weren't dead yet. The admiral knew it in his heart. And he will find them. That was the only thing certain now.

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YAY! End chapter 7. Hope you enjoyed it! Next one coming sooner! I promise! This one was unbetaed so I hope there were as many mistakes as last time! Shudders at the memoryRemember, reviews equal love! 


	8. Only a Dream?

**laurie31: **Thank you so much! I'm glad you felt something. And, yes, I absolutely had to have a scene with Lee, Bill, and baby.

**FreddyTeddy: **Ah, yes. I had to have a bit of the happiness that use to be before everything went to hell. So glad you liked it! Updated as quickly as possible!

**Lostineden: **Happy to hear it! Loving the next chapter of yours as well!

**Opapea: **Yeah, I skipped, but school's almost out. What could it hurt? (Looks at grades) Oh, right those things! Meh…Kidding! Thank you for the beautiful compliment! Next chapter is here!

**Marisolcaley: **YAY! Glad you liked it! Thanks so much for the review!

**Vangoghadmirer: **Thank you so much for the review! Those things always inspire me! I hope you're not away so you can read! And if you are…well…hope you read it when you get back! Sorry it took so long last time! Here's chapter 8!

* * *

**2 Years Ago**

**Battlestar Galactica**

_Laura Roslin was furious. There was no other word for it. He had no right to do this! The man had gone insane! She was not above admitting there may have been a slight chance that she had gone a **little** far, but it certainly wasn't enough to warrant such treatment as this! She had done what was necessary, and if William Adama couldn't see that, then it was his own fault! Did he really expect her to resign simply because he was unhappy with one much needed decision? To think she had even started to like the man – even danced with him._

_And sending the marines after her? Now that was something else. Hadn't the man ever heard of polite conversation? Then sending Captain Apollo with them was the icing on the cake! He was her military advisor for gods' sakes! It was a deliberate move. A proverbial kick in the groin – one that had backfired completely. As it turned out, the commander's foot had swung around completely to nail himself in a very sensitive spot. Serves him right too. Although, she was a little worried about Captain Apollo. They were separated the moment they set foot on Galactica. Laura knew Adama would never purposely harm the boy, but she wasn't so sure about Colonel Tigh. The man had looked **very** angry. As quickly as the thoughts had come, she pushed them from her mind. They were ridiculous anyway._

_All she could do now was wait. Laura hated to wait. But she knew Adama would be coming back. Admittedly, it would take some time, but he would be back. And she would be waiting. She would not be intimidated. She would not back down this time – now that lives were no longer immediately at stake. She had shown him that with her eyes as they met his own stern, angered, and disappointed ones – this was not over._

_Laura jumped as, without warning, an ear-piercing alarm rang out. She put her hands to her ears and looked over to her marine guard for answers. The expression on his face made her stomach turn to ice. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. Cylons were the first thing that came to mind. Perfect. Could anything else go wrong? She put her arms down as the uncertainty won over the need to protect her inner ear._

"_What's going on?" she asked the slightly agitated guard. _

"_I'm not sure, sir," he answered quickly._

"_Aren't you going to find out?" she inquired as politely as possible._

"_If I'm needed, I'll be informed," he responded. His voice was polite, but the conversation was obviously over. So Laura took to pacing. It wasn't something she did often for the simple purpose of always needing to maintain a calm demeanor, but, at the moment, she was too emotionally flustered to care. It seemed to take an eternity for any news to come, but when the alarms silenced, the hatch finally opened and a blood-soaked Apollo stepped through, Laura found no comfort. Had they hurt him after all?_

"_Captain, what have they done to you? What's going on?" she asked quickly, not caring about the panic she could hear in her own voice. _

"_My father's been shot," he looked down at his hands then away quickly as he spoke to her in a slightly quivering voice. The words hit her like an icy wave, washing away all the fury and leaving only a sickening sense of horror. Wanting to be closer to the captain and needing some form of support, Laura slowly grasped the cold steel bars that separated Apollo's cell from her own._

"_What?" in her shocked terror, her voice would not raise above a whisper._

"_Someone get this frakking thing off me please?" Apollo ignored the only half rhetorical question and addressed the marine guard instead._

"_I'm not authorized to do that yet," the young soldier began to explain._

"_I'm behind the frakking bars!" the captain's voice echoed furiously throughout the small metal room._

"_Captain…how bad is your father?" Laura felt her voice shake as she continued her questioning, not really comprehending Apollo's shouts._

"_Bad," he emphasized as he sat down exhaustedly. "Two bullets in the chest." The president could feel her heart pounding furiously against her chest. This couldn't be happening. This shouldn't be happening. Not now. She took a breath and tried unsuccessfully to choke back the tears that were rapidly forming in her eyes._

"_Is Doctor Cottle with him?" Cottle was the best. He'd take care of the commander._

"_No. Doc Cottle's not aboard," Apollo then turned and looked down, his back to her, and sighed sadly. _

_Laura said nothing. All her energy was focused on keeping herself together, and she wasn't doing so well. The commander had been shot, and, by the look in her captain's eyes, he would probably die. The thought drew even more tears to the president's eyes. Even after all the man had done that day, he was still her friend. They had lived through the end of the world together and were better for it, as strange as that may sound, and she depended on the man for comfort and a source of hope. Now all of that may be gone. Just like that. She would never get the chance to make amends. There would be no more one on one meetings in his quarters, no more arriving early to sneak a peak at yet another chapter in one of his wondrous books so that he would not be compelled to give anymore away, no more small talk or words of solace when business conversations turned personal, no more glimpses of that rare smile he reserved only for her…Suddenly, Laura felt extremely nauseated. Yet another way of life she had come to know had been ripped away from her without warning, and, for a moment, she found herself questioning what kind of gods would do such a thing._

**Present Day **

**New Caprica**

**_Laura Adama was running. She was frantic. Sticks and stones cut through the rough skin on the bottom of her feet as they collided with one another, but she didn't care. Somewhere out here in the unknown expanse of this ominous forest, her baby was crying for her. But Laura could not find him. The cries grew louder and more frantic as she ran, faster and faster, toward the heartbreaking sound, but the infant was nowhere to be seen. Laura was desperate. Surely her child would die without her to protect it. How could this have happened? Someone had stolen her baby from her. What kind of heartless being would steal a child from its mother?_**

**_Laura froze as a terrifyingly familiar sound suddenly echoed from somewhere close to her amidst the never-ending labyrinth of trees – cylon centurions. They were close, approaching at breakneck speeds. Icy fear spread through her body as she realized there was nowhere for her to hide. The cylons were everywhere, outnumbering her a million to one. There was no hope for escape or victory in any confrontation. She wasn't even armed. But a pleading baby's cry could be heard above the clamor of the robotic soldiers surrounding her, and her muddy feet began moving once again. She had to find the child before the cylons did._**

**_She would have screamed when a pair of hands seized her from behind and pulled her roughly against a tree if not for the fact that one hand was kept clamped over her mouth. Laura watched in horror as at least ten centurions marched hastily past the tree to which she was pinned, her heart beating faster than it ever had before. Once the enemy soldiers were out of her line of sight, Laura wasted no time in turning her eyes to observe her captor. She could feel hot bile rise in her throat as the horrifyingly familiar man placed a finger to his lips in a request for silence before taking his hand slowly away from her delicate lips. Laura said nothing, waiting for him to speak first._**

"_**I have a surprise for you," Leobon smirked in his usual way. "You have a destiny, Laura." There was a bright flash of light and suddenly it was now Boomer who stood before her.**_

"_**You have a destiny, Laura," Sharon's voice could be heard as Leobon's was still fading. Another flash.**_

"…_**destiny, Laura," the voice of Number Six, who stood before her now, overlapped Sharon's. "Do not carry it lightly. You must – " Flash.**_

"_**Guide it," Leobon whispered. Flash.**_

"_**Protect it," Boomer urged. Flash.**_

"_**Love it." Six pleaded. "Or all is lost." Flash. Leobon was back.**_

"_**The fate of both cylons…" Flash – Boomer.**_

"…_**and humanity now rests within you." Flash – Six.**_

"…**_within you." Suddenly, the baby's cries were louder than ever. Laura's instincts drove her to turn her head to the right, toward the sound. She gasped as she saw a small white crib standing only a few yards away. Like the nightdress she was wearing, the crib seemed to glow in the darkness of this mysterious place. Unexpectedly, a thin hand grasped Laura's tightly. She looked up to see Six standing next to her._**

"_**Don't be afraid," the blonde smiled sweetly as she began to lead Laura toward the cradle. Laura allowed the cylon to guide her, no longer feeling any fear from its presence. The baby continued to cry, and the teacher's desperation to reach it grew with each passing moment until, finally, they stood beside the child's crib. "Isn't she beautiful, Laura?" Six asked with adoration in her voice as Laura began to lean over the child, ready to take it into her arms, but she never got the chance.**_

**_Laura was thrust backward without warning as a sharp, intense pain impacted her lower abdomen. The image of Six, the baby and the cradle dissipated before her as she lowered her hands quickly to grasp the injured area and found herself to be swollen with child once again. While her hands held her stomach tightly, she cringed at the feeling of a warm, thick fluid slowly oozing down her bare legs. Her left hand then made its way down to her thigh to feel the foreign liquid. Then she lifted it into her line of vision, immediately regretting the action. Absolute terror ripped through her entire body as she saw that her hand was stained in deep crimson. Looking down, the horrified woman was greeted with the sight of her radiant ivory dress now rapidly turning red. She clenched her eyes shut, and a soul-shattering cry escaped her lips. When she opened them again, Leobon stood in front of her once more._**

"**_You have a destiny, Laura," he repeated emotionlessly as the pain in her abdomen intensified. "Wake up!" As if cued by his words, the pain instantly elevated to a level beyond excruciating while the blood between her legs flowed freely. Lost in a world filled only with pain and fear, Laura screamed._**

Not fully back to reality, Laura continued to scream and grasp at her now only dully-aching belly and fight against the hands that were now holding her in place. Lost and confused somewhere between dreams and reality, it was all she could do. Hot tears streamed down her face as she screamed and cried. She cried for help, she cried for her husband, she cried for her child, she screamed to the gods not to take her child from her. Then, through the panic and fear, a familiar voice made its way into her mind – soothing her, and pushing her back toward reality.

"Laura? Laura, wake up now. You're safe. Everything's okay. Wake up. Come on. You were only dreaming," Colonel Tigh spoke softly into her ear as her struggles began to lose strength. "There now, that's better."

"Saul?" she whispered feebly, still slightly dazed as she attempted to open her eyes. A strong hand was lifted from her forearm and came down to grasp her hand firmly.

"Right here, Laura," he whispered reassuringly as she worked to focus her tired eyes.

"The baby," her voice was still barely a whisper, but the colonel seemed to understand.

"Baby's fine. Don't worry. It was close though," he responded.

"Close? What happened?" she questioned, feeling the panic begin to grow inside of her once again.

"You were attacked by a ceiling," a different, more gruff voice replied sarcastically. Slowly, Laura's gaze slid over to the man sitting on her opposite side. "A small potion of the roof collapsed, and a fairly sizable chunk struck your abdomen. You lost a good amount of blood. Almost lost you both. That's one tough kid you've got there, Madam President." Dr. Cottle gave her a brief explanation. Laura relaxed with overwhelming relief. It was only dream.

"Isis?" Laura suddenly remembered holding the child as their world collapsed around them.

"She's fine. Got a couple of bruises and a splinter or two, but other than that she had no injury. She's one lucky kid," Cottle reassured. "She's sleeping now, but I'll bring her in later if you're up to it." Laura nodded the affirmative. "Are you in any pain?"

"No, I'm fine. Thank you," she responded, attempting a small smile before turning back to Colonel Tigh once again.

"So, how'd it go?" she questioned, pushing her anger toward him for his actions aside for the time being.

"Not very good," Tigh replied gravely his reassuring grin fading as his eyes darkened.

"We lost?" Had she really expected them to win?

"You could say that," Cottle added roughly.

"It wasn't a complete loss. A couple of us managed to sneak explosives into most of the basestars during their time as a runner. They're down to three," Tigh allowed a certain amount of pride to enter into his voice. Laura felt herself swelling slightly with pride as well, but she still needed the answer to one nagging question.

"Was it worth it?" she inquired, trying to shake away the cobwebs in her head.

"Loss of human life was…extensive," Tigh replied solemnly. Laura took a deep breath.

"How many did we lose?" she inquired, unsure whether she truly wanted to know. A look pasted between the colonel and the doctor before there was a reply.

"Over two thousand," Saul stated somberly. The only sign of a reaction from the president was the sudden slight stiffening of her muscles and the miniscule widening of her eyes. She was wide awake now.

"Two thousand," her voice was a whisper again and broke slightly as she repeated the number. "Who –" she cleared her throat, attempting to sound much stronger than she felt. "Who did we lose?" The question was vague, but Tigh understood.

"Kara, Kat, and Tyrol were all injured, but they'll be alright. However, Racetrack, Jammer, Lair, Cally, and Maya didn't make it," Saul tried to keep his face impassive and strong for her, but Laura could see the emotion in his eyes. They were just a few familiar names out of a list of so many. The schoolteacher closed her eyes tightly in an attempt to hold the tears at bay as yet another wave of grief washed over her. "I'm sorry, Laura." The colonel's own voice broke a little as he spoke, and she knew he was. But that couldn't bring their friends back.

All three women were someone's mother, two of them someone's wife. Racetrack and Stinger had recently welcomed their twin boys into the world, and Cally's daughter was only a little over two months old. Now none of those children would ever have a chance to know their mothers. Then there was Maya. The woman had become one of Laura's closest friends over their stay on New Caprica and was the only mother little Isis knew. What would they do without her?

"Where is Isis?" Laura questioned both the men surrounding her.

"In the next room, but she's sleeping remember?" Cottle answered.

"I want to see her now. Take me to her," the former president demanded.

"Oh, no you don't, young lady. You are nowhere near strong enough to get out of bed yet," the doctor placed a gentle hand on her chest to keep her from sitting up.

"Does she know?" Laura questioned.

"No. We thought you might like to tell her. She's closest with you," Saul answered carefully, apparently unsure of how she would respond.

"I'd like to see her now, please," Laura requested as politely as possible.

"Alright, just hold on a second or you'll hurt yourself," the colonel resigned, putting a hand on her shoulder and standing quickly before exiting to the next room. Doc Cottle sighed heavily next to her, and she turned her head to face him.

"Are you sure you're up to this?" he questioned skeptically.

"If I don't do it now, I never will," she responded simply, turning back to watch the doorway.

A minute or so later, Colonel Tigh re-entered with a still sleepy Isis attached to his neck. Laura patted the bed in a silent instruction for the child's placement. The toddler made an unhappy noise as Tigh placed her bottom next to Laura and did not release her grip around his neck. Patiently, Saul reached up and detached the tiny fingers gently. Too tired to hold herself up, Isis plopped backward onto Laura's side, eyes still closed but not quite asleep. Grinning unconsciously, the redhead reached down to stroke the child's soft, ebony hair.

"Isis, it's time to wake up now," she spoke softly so as not to startle her but loud enough to be effective. Hearing the familiar voice, Isis stirred as though willing herself to awaken.

"Auntie Laur?" she questioned sleepily. Ignoring the slight twinge of pain it caused, Laura bent over to plant a soft kiss on top of the child's head.

"Yes, baby. It's time to wake up," she responded before looking up at Tigh and Cottle. "Gentlemen, could we have a moment alone please?" Both men nodded hesitantly before silently leaving the small hospital room.

"Better now?" Isis looked up at Laura while rubbing the sleep from her tired eyes.

"Yes, I'm feeling much better now," Laura grinned. "What about you? Are you alright?" Isis nodded.

"Uh huh. _Scary _dough. Big boom! Boom! BOOM!" the toddler spread her arms three times as if to show the size of each boom. Laura gasped as she caught sight of a large yellowish bruise that covered at least three inches of the girl's forearm. Frowning, she took a hold of the tiny wrist and pulled it toward her gently.

"Big ouchy too," Isis confirmed. Laura said nothing as she felt her earlier anger rise once again, but she quickly suppressed it, not forgetting what she had to do. "Want mommy, Auntie Laur." Tears once again made their way behind the schoolteacher's eyes.

It wasn't fair – to either of them. How could Maya do such a thing? How could she go and fight a war she didn't know how to fight? How could she leave them? How could she abandon such a special little girl like Isis? And the child was very special indeed. At seventeen months, the girl had already developed mentally beyond the level of a two-year-old. She was comprehensive, visibly intuitive, verbally advanced, always willing to learn, and doing so more and more with each passing day. She was probably the happiest child you could ever want to meet, and Laura hated the thought of having to change that for her now.

"I know, sweetheart, but something's happened," Laura began gently, focusing on controlling her emotions. As always, Isis saw right through her.

"Wazza matter?" the toddler questioned, now wide-awake and looking concerned. "Mommy?" The tears brimmed in Laura's eyes. Sometimes she wished her adopted niece wasn't so smart.

"Yes, baby. It's mommy," she could no longer hide the despair in voice, and the tears began to fall.

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End Chapter 8! I hope everyone enjoyed it! I've already begun typing out chapter 9, but schoolwork will take precedent. I promise I will update as quickly as possible though! Remember, REVIEWS EQUAL LOVE! 


	9. No Choice

**starbuck042786:** Sorry I made you cry. It made me cry when it happenedtoo...wait...Hope you enjoy the next chapter!

**vangoghadmirer:** Thanks for the review! Hope you cntinue to enjoy!

**laurie31:** Glad you enjoyed the last chapter! I was so happy to see you picked out the line you did! Sorry it took so long to update!

**lostineden:** Thank you for the compliment! I read your story on Survival Instinct, and it's going well! I'm sure once you get into the groove of the story you'll know where to go!

**marisol caley:** Yep, they're dead. I was sad too! New chapter's here at last! Enjoy!

**Opapea:** I hate when familiars die as well. That's actually why I did it. It's war. People die. There aren't many humans left, so we're bound to know many of them who do. sniffles Sorry I depressed you. Laura's in a dark place right now too. You're not alone!

**Author's Note: **Sorry it took so long to post this chapter! End of the school year stuffed kept me busy, but I'm back and ready to go! So, without further ado, here's chapter 9!

**2 Months Ago**

**New Caprica**

"Hello? Anyone home?" Laura called into the small tent. Hushed voices and shuffling could be heard from the inside before a familiar long-haired blonde poked her head outside. "Laura!" Starbuck smiled as she spotted the former president. "Come in." The ex-viper pilot opened the tent she called home just enough to allow the older woman entrance.

"Thank you," Laura replied as the tent flap closed behind her. Looking around, she spotted Samuel Anders sitting up in his bed. "Mr. Anders, how are you feeling?"

"Better than ever, ma'am," he grinned wanly.

"It's slow going, but he's getting stronger," Kara informed her; ignoring her husband's answer.

"At least those fracking toasters are good for something," Anders added.

"So say we all," Kara half whispered. Laura smiled in spite of herself but said nothing. "Enough about that though. How are you holding up?" the blonde questioned as she adjusted the pillows around her husband in a motherly fashion.

"Oh, as well as can be expected, I suppose," Laura put on the most convincing grin she could muster. "Colonel Tigh has made my welfare his personal charge. It was a little annoying at first, but as I get fatter, he's becoming more and more helpful."

"I bet Mrs. Tigh is thrilled about that," Kara commented sarcastically.

"Elated," Laura confirmed with the same sarcasm. "It's not really a problem, though. She's got a new frack buddy every week."

"Mm, surprise, surprise," Starbuck raised her eyebrows and rolled her eyes. "Does Tigh even know?"

"I think he suspects, but he has one major flaw. He's blinded by love," Laura's mask fell a little as the green of her eyes deepened. "In books you read about love and passion and romance then toss them aside when you're finished, never believing a feeling like that really exists and thinking you're satisfied with the way things are. Then one day you turn around and standing right in front of you is the one person that changes everything. And when you lose them, no matter how blatantly obvious it is that they're gone, you know you can never let them go."

An icy breeze found its way through a crack in the worn tent. Laura unconsciously pulled her sweater tighter around her midsection and saw that Anders had taken his wife's hand in his own, squeezing it tightly. The redhead winced, knowing that her minor, hormone-driven emotional rant had most likely inadvertently brought back memories of Zak. She could have kicked herself. Damned hormones.

"He'll come back, Laura," Kara spoke confidently, but her eyes were sad – glossy and wet. "He's not just going to leave us here. He wouldn't just leave you here. The Old Man was giddier than a fracking schoolboy the day he married you. And you're having his kid for frack's sake! It'll just take a little time for them to regroup and re-supply is all."

"Do you really believe that, Kara?" the former president questioned skeptically. "Do you honestly believe that two seriously undermanned battlestars are going to risk taking on the entire cylon fleet? It would be suicide."

"Yes, I do believe it!" Kara defended. " What I can't believe is that you don't you know those two men out there would do anything for you! Hell, ninety-nine percent of the men and women out there would do anything for you! And it's not the _entire _cylon fleet. From what I've seen and heard, they have ten maybe fifteen basestars at maximum."

"And you think that two extremely battle-worn ships are capable of taking on all fifteen?" Laura had no idea why she was being so pessimistic. After all, half the reason she had ventured here was to talk of resistance.

"They'll figure something out," Sam offered his encouragement.

"Do we really have time to sit here and wait for a miracle?"

"What else can we do?" Anders inquired.

"We fight back," the former president stated.

"Laura, that's crazy," Kara told her.

"Is it?" she questioned.

"Yes. A couple of battlestars and a couple dozens vipers _might _have a shot, but a couple thousand civilians? It's fracking impossible."

"It's not," Laura felt her mood swing once again but didn't let it get the best of her. "I know for a fact that there is a small arms locker on New Caprica. It is also a fact that the cylons do not know this. Fact – hundreds, perhaps thousands of this planet's occupants are former soldiers who can help train others to fight. Fact – the cylons are the enemy. Fact – the war is not over yet."

"Laura, no one will go for this. Look around you. In one month, the cylons have gone form humanity's greatest threat to its greatest hope. The people have gone from scared, cold, sick, and hungry to content, mostly warm, healthy, and satisfied. I mean, I know it sounds crazy, but maybe this is a good thing. Think about it, instead of killing us, they're helping us," Anders reasoned.

"Helping us? They're controlling us!" Laura's hormones began to take control. "_The scriptures are a lie – there is only one true God! The cylons will teach the children the true history of the twelve colonies! Through us you shall know the awesome love and power of God! _They've taken over every job; every market. The doctors are the only people who have kept their jobs, and even they are constantly supervised by the cylons. What is there left for us?"

"Our lives," Kara responded, backing up her husband. "We finally have the chance to enjoy life without fear or obligation. All we have to do is live."

Laura hesitated. She had expected reluctance, but certainly nothing like this. She wanted to scream, to shout at them to snap out of it, to hit them or shake them – anything to wake them up. But, instead, she clenched her teeth and watched the couple through wide, unblinking eyes.

"Laura?" a voice from outside the tent interrupted the silence. "Are you here?"

"Yes, I'm here," she responded after a beat as Starbuck hurried to allow the man entrance.

"Morning, Starbuck; Mr. Anders," Colonel Tigh nodded to them as he entered.

"Colonel," they greeted.

"Maya told me you were stopping by here," Saul informed the redhead. "I thought I'd come and fetch you, seeing how you're gonna be late for your appointment with Doc Cottle. The man isn't very forgiving, you know."

Laura mentally kicked herself. She had completely forgotten her appointment with the doctor. She would be in for one hell of a lecture when she arrived. Gods she hated that.

"Oh, thank you, Saul. I completely forgot. Sam, Kara and I were having such a nice visit, I just couldn't pull myself away," she lied badly. Tigh didn't bother to ask, but rather held out is arm in invitation.

"Walk you there?" Laura locked her arm in his.

"Yes, sounds wonderful. Thank you," she replied with a forced grin.

"It was good seeing you," Kara called as they began to leave.

"Goodbye, Kara," Laura nodded and stepped outside.

**Present Day**

**New Caprica**

Have you ever woken from your sleep feeling someone was watching you? That was precisely the feeling Laura Adama had as she awoke from her fitful slumber.

"Come on, doc, you gotta let me in! Just let me see that she's alright!" she could hear Kara Anders' excited voice coming from behind the thin wooden door that separated her from the rest of the world. The blonde was whispering, but the frustration behind her words involuntarily increased the volume in which they were spoken.

"No," Laura was surprised to hear Dr. Cottle's steely voice had also taken on a significantly hushed tone. "She isn't in any condition for visitors. She nearly died…again. Then recovered to find out that several of her closest friends were gone. The last thing she needs is more excitement."

"If she can't handle visitors, then why was Colonel Tigh allowed in?" Starbuck questioned smartly.

"That's different," the doctor answered vaguely.

"How so? I get that she's upset, but Tigh's the one that started the fracking rebellion in the first place."

"I don't have to explain myself to you," Cottle retorted without missing a beat. There was a momentary pause.

"Doc, please. Just let me make sure she's okay." Another pause followed.

"Alright, but only for a minute," the doctor resigned. "And do not upset her, captain, or I'll have your ass."

"Yes, sir," Starbuck replied, her voice sounding slightly more cheerful after getting her way.

Laura started as the door clicked open. She should have been expecting it, but she was still in the process of waking herself. A blinding white light flooded the small room as the door slowly slipped open, and the redhead shut her eyes both to protect them from the unwanted assault, and for the fact that she was not quite sure she wanted to speak to the younger woman. Laura did her best to act natural as Kara took a seat beside the bed. Silence was all that followed, and Laura couldn't help but wonder what was running through the former pilot's mind.

"Laura, I know you're awake, so will you please talk to me?" Laura sighed, knowing she was caught.

"Do you have an incredibly convincing reason why I should?" the former president asked calmly, emotionlessly, her eyes still shut.

"Because I'm your friend and you love me?" she could hear Starbuck's nervous smile. Laura did not move.

"Alright. Because you're curious," Kara amended. "Because you want – because you need to know what happened that day." Laura hesitated. Kara was right. Slowly, her eyes opened, and she turned her head gracefully to face her visitor. It was hard to suppress a gasp when she got a good look at the young woman. Even in the dim light of the room, she could see the large black and purple bruise that surrounded the soldier's right eye. A long, crescent-shaped gash had been stitched up just below it on her right cheek, her bottom lip was swollen and bloody, and her left wrist was wrapped tightly; suggesting it had been broken or sprained.

"I know what happened," Laura forced herself to speak confidently. "What I need to know is why."

"Why? The cylons –" Kara began.

"No," Laura interrupted. "Why was I left in the dark? Why were so many trusted with the most important secret ever kept on this planet and not me? I trusted you. You and Colonel Tigh were the very first people to hear of my ideas for rebellion, and you threw them back in my face. For three months you watched my faith in humanity dwindle, but you allowed me to continue believing that we were doing nothing. I just need to know why my friends – why my _family _betrayed me."

"Laura, no one betrayed you. You have to understand, we couldn't let you know about the resistance," Starbuck started once again. "We knew it would upset you, but it was the only way we could be sure that you would be safe."

"We?" Laura questioned.

"We as in the leaders of the movement. We made the decision. Me, Colonel Tigh, Chief Tyrol, Cally, Kat, and Tom Zarek."

"Zarek?" Laura inquired, not expecting to hear the name. "So you were taking advice from a terrorist? Well, that explains everything!"

"No, Tigh made the suggestion, and we agreed. Look, I know Zarek isn't exactly your best buddy or anything, but we needed someone on the inside. Who better than our Vice President?"

"That explains how you got the explosives onto the basestars," Laura thought aloud.

"He and Gaeta along with some extra help," Kara confirmed.

"Clever, but you still haven't answered my question." Kara took a deep breath.

"Think about this. You are the wife of Admiral Adama, you're Commander Adama's stepmother, that baby in your stomach is Admiral Adama's baby and Commander Adama's sibling, and you are the former president of the Colonies who was most famous for her unique style of cylon execution. Do you not see the dilemma here? Look, I'm certain the cylons have been just itching for a chance to get to you, and leading a rebellion is a pretty good one. It's just like Colonel Tigh said, the Old Man isn't here to protect you so it falls to us."

"I don't want your protection. I can take care of myself," Laura defended. "Being pregnant doesn't mean I'm made of porcelain. I have a duty to the people – "

"You're not the president anymore!" Kara interrupted loudly. "Why can't you understand that? You have no responsibility to the people! They told you that by kicking you out of office! You're not President Roslin anymore! You're Mrs. Adama! The title may not be as prestigious, but it's still important! You have new responsibilities now, and they do not include sacrificing yourself for strangers and making life or death decisions and dying for a cause! Your future isn't suffering and death now! It's happiness and life! I know it's been hard for you to except, but you don't have to be a hero anymore, Laura. You're a wife and a mother now, and that's all you should have to be. Leave the saving of humanity to us."

A heavy silence followed Starbuck's speech. Laura simply lay there, mouth slightly agape, staring up at the young woman beside her; unsure of what to do next. Her words were unexpected. The teacher weighed them carefully, searching her mind for the best response.

"And what about Maya and Cally and all the other women, mothers, who died out there? Weren't love and happiness and their families their responsibilities as well? Why were my life and my happiness put before theirs? Why were they given the choice to fight when I wasn't? Can you tell me that, Kara? I just want to know why the life of one old woman was held over the lives of so many younger, more productive members of our society. What makes me so special?" Laura fought to hold back the tears that began to sting her eyes as she spoke. Kara sighed sadly.

"Laura," she began, her voice much softer. "No woman that fought for us was pregnant. We made sure of that. Yes, many were mothers, but that was their choice –"

"At least they had a choice," Laura interrupted.

"Yes, you're right, they had a choice. But you weren't the only one who didn't. There are still cylons we can't identify. They were hiding in the fleet, so they were most likely still hiding among us," Starbuck was beginning to be frustrated.

"So you only asked people you knew you could trust?"

"Yes. No! Laura, it's not like that! You have to understand –"

"Oh, I think I understand perfectly," the redhead scoffed.

"Come on, be reasonable," Kara begged.

"Don't talk to me about reasonable!" Laura's frustration was mounting as well.

"We just wanted you to be safe!"

"Regardless of what I might have wanted!"

"Will you cut it out with the self-sufficient crap! This wasn't one big plot against you! If we betrayed your trust, I'm sorry it turned out that way. But I'm not sorry for what we did. I'm not sorry we hid it from you! If we hadn't, that could have been you we put in the ground!"

"It was almost me anyway!" Laura pointed out. "I wasn't any safer here than I would have been out there!"

"You say that now, but you weren't there! You didn't see what I saw. You didn't hear what I heard. Trust me, Laura, you were much better off where you were," Kara's eyes took on a glossy, haunted countenance that went unnoticed by Laura in the obscure lighting. "Please, we did this for you." Laura opened her mouth to reply, but a sharp pain shooting through her abdomen stopped her momentarily. She stifled any sounds of distress but was unable to hide the pained look on her face. "Laura? Are you okay?"

"I want you to leave," she responded through clenched teeth.

"Laura, what's wrong? Should I get the doctor? Is it the baby?" questioned a very concerned Kara.

"Just leave!" Laura could no longer hide the agony in her voice as the pain intensified.

"I'm getting Cottle! Hang on!" Starbuck told her quickly as she ran toward the door. "Hey! Someone help!" It was only a matter of seconds before Dr. Cottle was through the door and at Laura's side.

"Damn it, Starbuck, your ass is mine! I told you not to upset her!" he growled as he examined the teacher.

"I – I'm sorry! I didn't –" Kara's words died off as she watched the doctor and nurses surround Laura, hating herself because she knew this was her fault and straining to hear what was wrong.

"She's going into pre-term labor," Cottle told the orderlies before turning to the patient. "Laura? Laura, can you hear me? I need you to listen. You have to relax. You're going into labor, and we have to give you something to stop it. But I can't do that with you squirming around. Now stop!"

As if on cue, the woman visibly calmed her trembling limbs, but inside, images of her nightmare were still haunting her. She couldn't lose this baby now. Not after everything they'd been through. On the other side of the room, Kara Anders had crammed herself as far into the corner as possible. Guilt and worry were overwhelming her senses as she watched the only real mother-figure she had ever had writhe helplessly on the small hospital bed as the medics tried to save her child once again.

"Okay, that looks good," Cottle said to himself once the ordeal had finally ended then turned to Laura. The woman was barely awake. "Laura, you can stop worrying. You're both going to be fine, but I'm putting you on a strict bed rest until the baby comes. We're gonna have to be extra careful if we plan on both of you living. And absolutely no more excitement." Kara didn't miss the ominous glance the doctor gave in her direction after this statement and suddenly felt very ill. She had almost killed them both – Laura and her baby – again. Unable to contain it any longer, Starbuck made a mad dash for the hallway and promptly threw up.

Laura was teetering on the edge of sleep, but could hear Kara's violent retching. She wanted to say something, anything, to reassure the girl that she should not feel guilty; that it wasn't her fault, but she was so tired. Blissful unconsciousness was pulling her in fast, and she didn't have the strength to fight it. Her baby was safe; Cottle had assured her of that. What would it hurt to rest for a little while? She would talk to Kara when she awoke. And with that thought still fresh in her mind, she fell back into a fitful sleep.

* * *

Chapter 9 finally done! Chapter 10 up sooner than you know it!


	10. Unwanted Visitors

**Author's Note: Look, everybody! It's Chapter 10:) It's a two for one deal today!**

**1 Month Ago**

**Colonial One**

"Darling, what _are_ you doing" President Baltar asked curiously from his couch as he watched his lover shuffle through pile after pile of old papers on his desk.

"I'm reading the news," the blonde responded simply without looking away from her task.

"The news? Isn't that supposed to be new? Some of that has to be over a year old," he responded uninterestedly.

"It may be old to you, but I've only just arrived now haven't I? I just think I should be up to speed with current events." She glanced up momentarily, her seductive eyes meeting the president's for only a second before they returned to her chore.

"If you insist. I'm afraid it's all dreadfully boring. Except the ones about my winning over Roslin. Those are particularly interesting. I think you should really take the time to have a look at them –"

"Speaking of Roslin, what's this?" the cylon held up the newsletter in question for Gaius to see.

"Ugh, I thought I threw that one out," he replied after reading the headline.

"She married Adama?" Six questioned curiously.

"Sickening, isn't it? To think, all that quibbling and distrust between the military and civilian government was nothing more than a lovers' quarrel. Their little time out could have cost us everything. And it just proves that the little 'miscount' during the election was nothing more than Adama's attempt to keep his little girlfriend in office. He always was her lapdog. I didn't even get an invitation. Did you know that? I'm the President of the Colonies, and I wasn't even invited to the Fleet Admiral's wedding. I showed up anyway, of course –"

"Gaius!" Baltar stopped abruptly. "You're rambling again."

"Right. Sorry," he said quickly, looking slightly embarrassed.

"It is interesting, though – Unexpected," Six continued, gazing at the picture of the front page.

"Not if you worked with them," Baltar scoffed. "All Adama did when Roslin was around was undress her with his eyes, and she played right into it, of course. She had him wrapped around her little finger."

"Why, Gaius, do I sense jealousy?" the blonde giggled, raising one eyebrow questioningly.

"What? Of course not!" the president defended. Six giggled again.

"Uh huh, right. You're jealous of him."

"No, I most certainly am not jealous of _Admiral Adama_," Baltar rolled his eyes.

"Oh, yes you are! You're jealous because she's the one woman you could never have."

"That is most certainly not true! If I had wanted her I would have had her."

"Hmm, I seriously doubt she's the type," the cylon continued playfully. "I think having sex with you was the farthest thing from her mind, and now you're jealous because Adama's had her and you can't."

"Ha, yes, he most certainly has. I wouldn't even be interested now. Although, I do tend to find pregnant women inexplicably attractive –" Six's smirk fell instantly at the Caprican's words.

"Wait. What did you just say?" she asked quickly.

"Oh, I didn't mean any offense, darling –"

"No, did you just say Roslin was pregnant?" the cylon questioned urgently.

"Yes. Why?" Gaius inquired, slightly confused. Six did not respond, but rather stood, article in hand, and headed for the door.

"Wait! Where are you going?" he shouted after her.

"I need to talk to Sharon. I'll be back soon!" she called behind her. Before Baltar could respond, the distinct sound of a closing door could be heard.

"Alright! Have fun! I'll just wait here then!"

Present Day 

**New Caprica**

It was the middle of a particularly long evening on New Caprica, and Laura Adama sat up in her less than comfortable bed reading her favorite book; "Dark Day." Bill had given it to her nearly two years ago when they were just beginning to get to know each other. The first gift he had ever given her, it was close to her heart; one of her most valued assets. She had already read it enough to memorize it, but the words never got old. It was something Bill had loved. She could imagine him sitting in the corner of their small couch, feet resting on the small table in front of him and jacket discarded neatly on the back of the chair in which she would sit, pretending to read, and watch his cerulean eyes swim through the pages of another heart-pounding mystery. Sometimes she could even hear him softly reciting Caprican poetry in her ear as she drifted off to sleep or as she awoke from a rare goodnight's rest. Smiling to herself at the memories, she hadn't noticed an unexpected visitor entering unannounced.

"Good evening, Madam President," Laura started at the sound of the voice, closing her book quickly and putting one hand to her chest before looking up to identify her caller.

"Sharon. What are you doing here?" the redhead asked cautiously, unsure of why the cylon would be in her tent and praying it wasn't about the rebellion.

"I just wanted to come and see how you were doing," the cylon responded. She was grinning, but appeared to be nervous about something. "I heard that you were hurt during the attempted rebellion."

"I'm fine, thank you. A little bored, but I'll live," Laura responded, trying to hide her distaste for the "woman" in front of her.

"Should you really be alone in your condition?" Sharon questioned, looking genuinely concerned. Laura, however, did not pay much attention.

"Colonel Tigh just left to fetch some water. It's his designated time. But you didn't really come here to ask about my health did you?"

"Of course I did," the cylon responded, slightly taken aback. "What would make you say that?"

"The fact that I just told you I was fine, but you seemed to know my 'condition' already," the former president responded.

"I just know what people tell me. Maybe I wanted to hear it from you."

"Well, you heard it. Now I would appreciate it if you would see yourself out."

"Wait. I wanted to talk to you too," Sharon said quickly while stepping closer to the bed.

"About what?" Laura questioned impatiently, her hatred beginning to seep into her words.

"Look," the cylon told her as she pulled up a chair next to the bed. "I know that you don't like me. You probably even hate me, but I want you to know that what happened to Commander – I mean Admiral Adama was not my fault. It was a program. I'm not an assassin. I would never have hurt him on purpose. Please, I just need you to know that before anything else is said." Laura took a deep breath.

"I understand," she replied carefully. It wasn't sarcasm, but it also wasn't acceptance. It just was. And Sharon knew that.

"Fair enough," she responded, looking down at her lap.

"Was there something else?" the teacher inquired. Sharon drew her gaze back up to Laura's face.

"You're pregnant," the cylon began.

"Observant," Laura interjected. Sharon grinned nervously.

"That's amazing! Especially with everything your body has been through with the cancer and all."

"Yes. I consider it a blessing," the redhead responded indifferently.

"You should," Sharon whispered, her eyes on the woman's swollen abdomen. Her voice then regained its previous volume as she brought her eyes upward once again. "It truly is a miracle." The sudden obvious fascination is the cylon's voice unnerved the former president, and she brought an arm up to rest protectively on her belly. However, before Laura could reply, there was a shuffle in the bed next to her that drew the other woman's attention.

"And who is this?" Sharon questioned, smiling as she noticed Isis for the first time. The former president's stomach turned to ice, but her outer expression did not change.

"My friend Maya's daughter. She was killed in the rebellion, so I took her in," Laura calmly explained.

"She's beautiful," Sharon smiled. "What's her name?"

"Isis," Laura replied as naturally as possible.

"Isis. I like it. It's a good, strong name."

"That's what Maya said."

"How old is she?" the cylon continued her questioning.

"Fifteen months," Laura lied, hoping she hadn't gone too young. Isis was small for her age, and the big blankets surrounding her shrunk her significantly so Sharon didn't seem to notice. In fact, she would swear she saw a flash of disappointment cross the cylon's face.

"You have a destiny, Laura," Sharon stated serenely. Laura froze and lifted her eyes to meet the cylon's.

"Excuse me?" she whispered.

"You have a destiny," the cylon repeated.

" What does that mean?" the redhead questioned. "What destiny?"

"You'll understand soon enough. Just know we're watching over you. God has a plan for you. There's no need to be afraid. Let his love guide you, and he will show you the way."

Not another word was spoken. Sharon smiled in a way that disturbed Laura to the core before standing and letting herself out. Laura wrapped her free arm around the sleeping toddler beside her as she watched the cylon leave. Sharon's sudden change of subject and demeanor had startled the teacher and had made her sense the need to protect her children – as if a predator were stalking them. Never in her whole life had she been so relieved to see Saul Tigh when he walked into her tent only minutes later.

"Sorry I took so long. I ran into Ellen. She wasn't very happy with my being here more than with her after everything, but I managed to calm her down." Laura did not reply, still trying to make sense of the odd events that had just transpired. The colonel sat the water pale down before turning to look at her. "Laura? Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost." Snapping out of her trance, the redhead snorted.

"Something like that," she replied. Looking concerned, Tigh carefully sat on the edge of the bed.

"Did something happen while I was gone?" he inquired worriedly. Laura gave a short, ironic laugh that quickly turned to sobs.

"Oh, Saul, I hope Bill gets here soon."

* * *

Short, sweet, and to the point! I hope you enjoyed it! Chapter 11 coming ASAP! Remember, REVIEWS EQUAL LOVE! 


	11. Never Give Up Hope

**laurie31: **Thank you for the compliment! As for your hopes and questions? Read on! All will be answered in time! P.S. You should be worried! grins evily

**marisolcaley:**Starbuck's a major? LOL! I really need to get up to speed on these things! I am very bad with ranks! I cana't tell you how many times I've almost called Bill a commander:) Thanks for the reviews and the compliment!

**Lostineden: **Thanks for the review! I can't wait for the rest of your story either!

**vangoghadmirer: **Thanks for reviewing again! Chapter 11 up ASAP as requested!

**5 Months Ago**

**New Caprica**

"_Now, if 5 multiplied by 5 is 25, what does 5 multiplied by 6 equal?" Mrs. Laura questioned the small class seated before her. A small, brunette boy in the front raised his hand timidly. "James?"_

"_Um, thirty?" he responded shyly. _

"_Yes, that's very good," Laura praised as she wrote the answer on the board for everyone to see. The boy's big brown eyes sparkled happily as he grinned with silent pride at his own brilliance._

"_Good job, Jimmy!" the equally small, blonde, curly-headed girl seated next to him praised._

"_Ooh! Grace likes Jimmy!" a slightly bigger, freckled boy taunted from behind._

"_No I don't!" Grace defended hastily._

"_Jimmy's got a girlfriend! Jimmy's got a girlfriend!" the freckled boy led any who would follow in the chant._

"_She's not my girlfriend!" James yelled at the boy, but the taunting continued._

"_Stop it!" Grace shouted. James had tears in his eyes. "You're making him cry!"_

"_Ah! Is poor widdle Jimmy gonna cry?" the freckled boy asked in a sarcastically sad voice. James said nothing as he sniffed back his embarrassment and shook his head in defiance. _

"_Why are you so mean?" Grace questioned defensively._

"_What is going on over there?" Laura questioned sternly._

"_Chase won't stop making fun of Jimmy!" Grace tattled quickly._

"_She's lying!" the freckled boy shouted._

"_No I'm not!" Grace yelled back._

"_Tattler!" Chase sneered._

"_Bully!" Grace spat back._

"_Both of you be quiet!" the teacher demanded. "Now, James," she softened her voice to speak to the whimpering boy, "is this true? Was Chase teasing you? Is that why you're upset?"_

_James appeared unsure. Still attempting to keep his composure, he shifted his gaze from Chase to Grace then back to Laura. _

"_I – I don't –" the boy stammered._

"_Jimmy, just tell her," Grace encouraged._

"_It's alright, James. You can tell me the truth. I'll make sure he doesn't bother you," Laura gave him a soft, comforting grin._

"_Yes. He was teasing me about Grace being my friend," James admitted in a whisper._

"_There, see? That wasn't so bad," Laura widened her grin. She then looked up to face Chase, her smile completely gone, and the freckled boy shivered at the coldness of the glare he received. "Chase, I want you to switch seats with Allison in the back of the class."_

"_But, Mrs. Laura –" he began to protest but was stopped by the teacher's hand being raised in a gesture they all knew meant stop._

"_I will have no back talking from any of my students. You will switch seats with Miss Minge, and you will continue sitting there every class from this day forward. Do you understand?" Laura reprimanded. _

"_Yes, Mrs. Laura," Chase sulked as he trudged to the back of the class and Allison Minge trotted light-heartedly to his abandoned seat._

"_Thank you, Allison," the teacher smiled at the brunette. _

"_You're welcome," the girl smiled back sweetly._

"_Now, does anyone have any questions?" Laura attempted to get the students back on track. "Yes, James?"_

"_Um, Mrs. Laura, do _you_ have a boyfriend?" the boy's cinnamon eye's sparkled with innocent curiosity. The other students giggled loudly. Laura thought for a moment before answering carefully._

"_Yes, I do." The class giggled again._

"_What's his name?" Grace questioned interestedly. _

"_William," Laura replied, wondering desperately how to change the subject discretely. _

"_Do you love him?" Allison Minge piped up. _

"_Very much," the teacher answered._

"_Does he love you too?" Grace continued the questioning._

"_Most of the time," Laura grinned. The class laughed once more._

"_Did you marry him?" Allison asked, looking excited and hopeful._

"_I certainly did."_

"_That's so romantic!" Allison said dreamily. Laura couldn't suppress a giggle of her own at the bright-eyed girl's reaction._

"_Quit being dumb!" Chase spoke up from his place in the back. "Everyone knows she married _Admiral Adama_!" An audible gasp swept through the room that sent the children into an excited chatter that rose in volume with each passing second._

"_Hey, hey! Let's settle down now," the teacher hushed them. _

"_Is he telling the truth, Mrs. Laura? Did you really marry Admiral Adama?" inquired a very fascinated Allison._

"_Absolutely," an unexpected voice answered from the entrance of the school tent. Twenty-four sets of eyes turned quickly to identify the stranger._

"_Bill? What are you doing here?" Laura questioned as the admiral approached._

"_Do I need an excuse to see my wife?" he answered with a question of his own, wrapping an arm around her waist. Excited whispers once again broke out amongst the hyper ten-year-olds. Laura said nothing, surprised by his forward behavior and entranced by the mischievous look in his eyes. _

"_Is that him?" Allison could be heard whispering excitedly._

"_I think so!" Grace whispered back with equal thrill. _

_Bill's cobalt eyes flashed momentarily in their direction as his ears registered the not so quiet conversation. Laura's own emerald irises were sparkling with uncertainty as she watched him, waiting for…something. The corners of the admiral's mouth quirked for a split second before, without hesitation, he moved in and captured his wife's lips in his._

"_EWWW!" all the students, save Allison Minge, chorused as they watched._

_The kiss only lasted a moment. When Bill pulled away, he smiled at the sight of Laura's eyes staring at him in disbelief, her face blushing bright red. The children giggled hysterically, and their teacher's face turned an even darker crimson as she smiled nervously and looked down._

"_And that, children, is not for you to try until you are at least twenty-one. Understand?" Bill addressed the class with a smug grin plastered to his face. Still laughing, the children nodded their heads in agreement, and a redheaded boy raised his hand. _

"_What's that under your nose?" he asked without waiting to be recognized. _

"_It's a moustache, stupid!" Chase yelled from his corner. "My daddy says only real men can grow one!" _

"_Well, I've never seen one before," the redhead replied, looking embarrassed._

"_Of course you have! How could you not?" Chase told him in an annoyed tone._

"_It looks like a rat to me," Grace commented innocently._

"_That's because you only like little boys!" Chase mocked. Grace gave a "hmph" and crossed her arms but said nothing. _

"_Mr. Cameron, that is enough!" Laura overcame her embarrassment enough to reprimand the freckled boy. _

"_Looks like I missed some excitement," Maya commented as she entered the tent during Laura's scolding._

"_Oh, Maya, thank the Gods you're back," the relieved teacher told her quickly as the other woman lay Isis in her cradle. _

"_Lots of excitement then," Maya smiled. _

"_More than you can imagine," Laura raised her eyebrows as she spoke to emphasize the point. "Ready to take the class?"_

"_Yep. Isis should be good for another couple of hours. You two go on and enjoy yourselves," the brunette lay a hand on Laura's back in a shooing gesture. "Go on."_

"_Ooh!" the class chorused with yet another hearty giggle. Bill chuckled, Laura's face reddened once again, and Maya looked confused._

"_Don't ask," Laura shook her head, and she and Bill made a swift exit._

"_Well, my next few parent-teacher conferences should be interesting," Laura told Bill as they walked through the small dirt road in the middle of the marketplace, her eyes staring straight ahead._

"_Breaks the monotony," Bill replied._

"_Mm, I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to explaining to forty or so people why their children are tonguing each other behind their tents," the redhead spoke with a hint of sarcastic venom in her voice. Bill chuckled._

"_Tonguing each other?"_

_Oh, you know what I mean!" Laura finally looked up at him and couldn't help but smile._

"_Yes. I just don't recall using my tongue for anything," Bill responded without missing a beat._

"_Your mistake," the schoolteacher smirked slyly before facing straight ahead once again. For a second, Bill walked on speechlessly until Laura spoke again. "Race you to the tent."_

"_What?" the admiral questioned as he snapped out of his stupor, but the fiery redhead had already taken off. Grinning and sighing simultaneously, he too broke into a run. Although, he only gave a half-hearted effort to catch up. He rather enjoyed the view from second place._

**Present Day **

**New Caprica **

**Four Months into Cylon Occupation**

**(One Month Post Rebellion)**

His heart was pounding wildly deep within his chest as he slowly slipped out of the forest, away from his cover, and into the overly exposing territory of humanity's New Caprican settlement. Cylon centurions marched mechanically in groups of two through the rows of tents, weapons at the ready. He would have to move fast to avoid being sighted. Perhaps he should have let someone younger take the mission, but this was something he had to do. Muscles burning, he stopped when he spotted a familiar dwelling. Smiling, he slipped speedily beside it before carefully unzipping the front. Rifle held close against his aching chest, he ducked inside and swiftly shut himself inside.

"Who's there?" a familiar, feminine voice questioned threateningly. The man smiled to himself. She always once a light sleeper. "Show yourself, coward!" Her voice was a whisper, but still commanding.

"Good morning, Starbuck. What do you hear?" he whispered back, still grinning. The blonde let out an amazed, relieved sigh.

"Nothing but the rain," she responded breathlessly.

"Grab your gun and bring in the cat," he kneeled next to her bed.

"Aye, aye, sir," she laughed once before wrapping her arms tightly his neck. Her whole body shook, but the admiral couldn't tell if she was laughing or crying. "I knew you'd come back!"

"Did you really think I'd leave you behind?" he laughed.

"What's going on?" Anders sat up suddenly, looking disheveled and disoriented. Kara took one arm from around Adama and touched her husband's arm.

"Sam, it's okay. It's Admiral Adama! He's back!" she reassured him.

"What? He's here? Now?" the man asked.

"Good to see you, son," Adama spoke to confirm Kara's words.

"Admiral! How did –"

"Not now. I'll explain later," Adama cut him off. "I need your help."

"Anything," Starbuck agreed.

"This isn't going to be easy, so I need you to listen close," the couple nodded. "You want you to sneak out of here and find Colonel Tigh, Chief Tyrol, and anyone else whom you believe can help. Then all of you need to begin evacuating people, two to three tents at a time, into the forest. Hotdog, Showboat, Wildcard, and Corkscrew are waiting inside. They will then lead the groups to a clearing about a mile in where our raptors are waiting. This has to be done quickly, and it has to be done tonight. No one can be left when the sun comes up. If they are, they're stuck. We now have eight hours and change to complete the mission. Can you handle it?" He held out a radio.

"Yes, sir," the Anders' replied in unison as Starbuck took the offered machine. Adama stood and nodded to them before unzipping the tent flap once again.

"Wait, sir. Where are you going?" Kara whispered.

"To find my wife," he answered, turning to exit. "Call me when the last group has been evacuated."

"Hang on a second. Close the flap," Kara insisted. "There's something you need to know." Adama hesitated but did as the pilot said, sensing something was wrong.

"What? Is Laura okay? Is she hurt?" the admiral questioned, attempting to mask the fear in his voice.

"Listen, while you were out there playing hide and seek, some of us tried to help make it easier for you down here," she began. "Laura didn't know about it. She was in the hospital building for a check up when it all happened. It was the safest place you could be, but some debris from one of the basestars that didn't burn up in the atmosphere landed nearly on top of the place. The roof partially collapsed, and she was just in the wrong room, I guess."

"What are you saying? Is she –"

"Oh, no, don't worry! She's okay, but Cottle put her bed rest. She almost lost the baby twice. Admiral, I'm not sure she'll be able to handle a mile hike. The doc says any strain can put her into labor."

"She's thirty-four weeks now. That's only two weeks early. We'll have to risk it. There's nothing else we can do," Adama said more to himself than Kara. The soldier nodded.

"I just thought you should know," she agreed. "Do what you have to do."

* * *

As her tent came into view, Bill's nerves were going haywire for completely new reasons. This was it. After four months of hell, of not knowing whether she was alive or dead, he was going to see her again. All other sound but the beating of his own heart dissipated around him as he approached his wife's tent. He could see the red lights of the centurions' eyes surrounding him on every side. Just one more second, just one more step, and he would be safe – he would be with his Laura again. In one swift motion, the admiral unzipped the tent and swung himself inside, promptly closing it once more behind him. For a moment he did nothing, afraid that if he moved, the cylons would see and take him away from her once more.

So simply stood in the entranceway panting with exertion, his hot breath fogging in the cool night air. But as the lights of the centurions became less visible, and the pounding in his head slowed and faded, he chanced a bit of movement. Still cautious, Bill reached down languidly to grip his oversized flashlight and flipped it on at its lowest power. Immediately, he aimed it in the direction in which he knew Laura's bed to be, and he was not disappointed. Directly ahead of him, his wife lay on her side, her long auburn hair stretched out flowingly behind her, her legs bent slightly under the heavy blankets and her left arm resting protectively over her now largely protruding stomach.

Smiling wider than he had in four months, he cautiously made his way to her bedside. Thoughts of waking her went out the door as he watched her soft body move with the slow, steady rhythm of her breathing. Knowing his people were hard at work, Bill decided to take this moment for himself. Careful not to disturb the sleeping woman, he opened up the covers and slipped underneath, leaving his rifle on the ground nearby. Suddenly overwhelmed by the reality of the situation, the admiral huddled as close to his wife as possible. Wrapping his left arm over hers, he buried his face his her hair and inhaled deeply. Laura shifted in her sleep, unconsciously burrowing herself into the curve of his body. Bill smiled and held tighter, moving his left hand to allow it to rest lightly on her swollen abdomen.

There was a slight sensation of movement beneath his fingers indicating baby was awake while mommy was sleeping. The corners of Adama's mouth twitched, and he internally hoped that this wasn't a sign of a future trend. The child must have been more active than its father could feel as Laura shifted again, this time making an uncomfortable noise. Wanting to comfort her, Bill sat up and bent over to where both hands were resting on his wife's belly and his face hovered just above.

"Hi there, baby. It's your daddy talking. This is important, so you might wanna listen. See, your mother's been through a lot lately, and she really needs her rest. So, obviously, all of this moving around your doing just won't do. But I'm going to take you both home real soon, and then you can do all the dancing and kicking your little heart desires. Until then, what do you say we let mommy rest?" he whispered lovingly. As if the baby knew what was being asked, Bill felt a gentle kick beneath his fingers, and the previous movement all but stilled. Laura made a sound of contentment, and Adama smiled. "I knew you'd understand." He told the unborn child before planting a kiss on his wife's abdomen and returning to his previous position and closing his eyes, one ear concentrating on the sound of Laura's breathing and the other listening for any signs of trouble.

"Admiral, are you there?" the sound of Starbuck's voice on the radio startled the admiral. Quickly, he turned his back to Laura and sat up on the edge of the bed before responding.

"What do ya hear, Starbuck?"

"Sir, we've nearly finished evacuating, but there's a problem," her hushed voice replied.

"Let's hear it," he acknowledged, mentally kicking himself. He had to have fallen asleep at some point if it was nearly over.

"It's some of the civilians. They're refusing to leave," she explained.

"What?" the admiral questioned more harshly than he had intended.

"Cylon sympathizers," Kara continued. "At least fifty. Maybe more. They say they don't care if we go, but they're staying here."

"Tell them there is no choice. Everyone leaves."

"I tried. They're not moving. What should we do?"

"How long before sunrise?" Adama asked, weighing his options.

"Maybe an hour if we're lucky," the pilot answered.

"Keep trying. If they haven't agreed in twenty minutes," the admiral took a deep breath, "leave them behind." For a moment, there was only silence on the other side.

"Understood, sir," Starbuck finally replied. "Starbuck out."

"Adama out," he acknowledged before turning back to face the woman still sleeping soundly on the bed next to him. He no longer had a choice. They had to get out of here now. Returning to his previous position next to her, Bill placed a kiss on the back of her neck.

"Laura?" he spoke softly into her ear. "Laura, you need to wake up, baby. Can you do that for me?" The redhead shifted at the sound of his voice and made a noise that sounded like his name. "Yes, Laura, it's me – Bill. I'm here now. Everything's going to be alright, but you've gotta wake up." She shifted once again, this time turning her body to face him.

"Bill?" she whispered again, louder and more audibly this time.

"Yes, Laura. You have to wake up now," he continued to coax her out of her dreams. Slowly but surely, her eyelids began to flutter until emerald met sapphire in a raw, disbelieving stare. "Nice of you to finally join us." Bill smiled as he spoke, keeping steady eye contact without blinking.

"Am I dreaming? Are you really here?" she questioned, glossy-eyed, lifting one hand to touch his face. Adama reached up and took the hand in his, kissing it softly then holding it to his face.

"It's me, Laura. You're next dreaming. I'm really here," he assured her. Slowly, the small woman's body began to shake as a silent tear ran down her cheek. Bill's heart dropped into his stomach as he watched her. Not knowing what to say, he simply reached down, took her into his arms, and held her to him as she cried.

"I almost gave up on you," she whispered into his ear with a half-hearted laugh.

"It just goes to show you, Laura," he whispered back. "Never give up hope." The redhead gave a real laughed this time. He could hear all of her sadness, relief, joy, and hope in that one sound; and he smiled into her hair. "Listen, I know this is sudden, but we have to go." Laura's body stiffened, and she pulled away slowly, her face still damp with tears.

"What do you mean 'go'?" she questioned.

"Gather only what you can carry. We have to leave right now. There's a raptor waiting to take us back to the Galactica as we speak," the admiral explained. "It's a lengthy walk. Do you think you can make it?"

"I'll manage," she agreed. "Wait! What about Isis?"

"Isis?" Bill inquired.

"Maya's daughter. I've been taking care of her after Maya was killed, but she stays with Saul at night because of my condition."

"If she was with Saul, I'm sure she's fine," Bill reassured her. "Come on. If we don't leave now, we may not make it." Laura nodded.

"There's a bag beneath the head of the bed on this side," she pointed to her right. "It has everything I need." It was Bill's turn to nod as he made his way swiftly around to her side of the bed and grabbed the small backpack from underneath. Swinging it over his shoulder, he reached to help Laura out of bed. Stopping only to slip on a pair of shoes, they wasted no time in slipping out of the tent, hand in hand, and slowly making their way toward the dark and dense forest that separated them from home.

* * *

YAY for Chapter 11! Bill finally made it! I didn't think he'd ever get there! Chapter 12 coming soon! Remember, REVIEWS EQUAL LOVE! 


	12. This Kid Is In A Hurry!

**A/N:** Well, chapter number 12 is finally here! If you still remember this story after its year long hiatus, I applaude you and thank you! To any new readers, I apologize for all the typos in this version. I am planning on fixing those chapters and reposting them. Now, without further ado, I hope you enjoy chapter 12!

**32 Years Ago**

**Caprica City Memorial Hospital**

**Caprica**

_Captain William Adama held his breath as he watched the doctor slowly make his way down the long white corridor. This was it, but why was the man moving so slowly? Did something go wrong? Doctors always take their time with bad news, right? Or maybe he's just easygoing because everything was fine. There's no rush. Gods, Bill wished the man would just hurry up already._

"_Captain Adama? I'm Dr. John Norton," the doctor shook the pilot's hand. _

"_What's the word, doc?" he questioned impatiently. _

"_Everything went smoothly. Both mother and baby are healthy, and they're both itching to see you. So, if you'll follow me, I'll take you to meet your new son," Dr. Norton smiled as he began to lead the suddenly nervous young captain down the seemingly endless row of doors. _

_Bill kept his eyes on the numbers plastered on the walls next to each room entrance as they walked. 229, 230, 231, 232, 233, 234. That was it. 234. That was Caroline's room. Still in a sort of daze, Dr. Norton was kind enough to open up the door and lead him inside. After all, the veteran physician had seen his share of soldiers gone soft on this floor._

"_Bill!" Caroline smiled sleepily from her place in the stale white hospital standard issue bed. "Come and say hello to your son!" _

_His soldier's instinct compelled him to do as he was told. Caroline cautiously handed off the tiny bundle, and the boy fussed for a moment before settling into his father's strong arms. William Adama would never forget the feeling of holding this small life that he had helped create in his hands. It was a feeling that would stay with him for the rest of his days. "Hello, Lee. Welcome to the world." The new father greeted. The baby cooed, and Bill couldn't help but laugh. This was what real love felt like. _

"_So, the Great Bill Adama is a romantic after all," his wife smirked. Bill gave a short laugh._

"_Just don't tell the guys," he replied._

"_Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me," the blonde whispered softly. The pilot smiled again. And, for the first time in his life, William Adama felt complete._

**Present Day **

**New Caprica **

**Four Months into Cylon Occupation**

**(One Month Post Rebellion)**

Laura Adama was running. She was frantic. Sticks and stones tore through the thin soles of her slippers, cutting into the rough skin on the bottom of her feet, but she didn't care. Just beyond the trees, only minutes away, a raptor was waiting. She was finally going home. As was exhausted, though, panting as her husband's strong grip pulled her along. She could make it. She knew she could. She had to. She had to protect her baby. That was all that mattered now.

Suddenly, a sound filled the former president's ears that chilled her to the core. The terrifyingly familiar noise echoed from somewhere close to her amidst the never-ending labyrinth of trees. Cylon centurions were approaching and fast. They were everywhere. There was no way they could fight them off. She could hear the screams of other colonists attempting to escape being shot down or worse by the emotionless demons. It was a sound that would haunt her until the day that she died.

Come on, Laura! We're almost there!" Bill encouraged as he picked up the pace. She simply nodded in reply, unable to force her voice to work. Then another sound that haunted the mother-to-be began to resonate in her head.

"_You have a destiny, Laura." Leoban's voice began._

"_Do not carry it lightly." Sharon continued. _

"_You must guide it," Leoban instructed._

"_Protect it," Sharon kept the same tone._

"_Love it," Six's voice could now be heard, her voice sounding different from the first two. She seemed to be almost begging. "Or all is lost."_

"_The fate of both the cylons," Sharon began._

"_And humanity now rests within you." Leoban finished for her._

"_Don't be afraid." Six whispered almost comfortingly as a sharp pain began to seep its way into her abdomen. _

"_You have a destiny, Laura," she heard Leoban's voice once more. "Run!"_

"Laura, please! Just a few more minutes! You can do it! We have to run!" Bill's voice wrenched her back into reality. The pain inside of her intensified.

"Oh, Gods, Bill! I don't think I can! It hurts too much!" the redhead could no longer keep her grip. She didn't want to give up. She couldn't give up! But her body wasn't giving her any options.

"Yes, you can!" her husband encouraged, practically dragging her along through the never-ending maze of trees. "We're so close!"

"Oh, please, not now!" Laura whispered to her unborn child frantically as she felt a warm liquid running freely down her bare legs. Stopping completely in her tracks, she resisted the admiral's pull on her arm as she lowered her left hand to her thigh to feel the foreign liquid. Bringing it up to her line of sight, she sighed in momentary relief. It was clear. However, the baby was still in immediate danger. It's mother was in labor and they were still a good ten minutes from their ride home.

This was bad. Laura's mother had always had very quick deliveries. It took her only four hours to deliver Laura's eldest sister, and three children later, Laura herself was delivered in only two and a half hours. For the first time, the redhead prayed she would not have the same luck as her mother.

The passing minutes seemed like hours to the teacher as she and her husband ran as fast as a woman in labor could run toward freedom. The sun had begun to rise as the tree line came into sight. And when they finally broke out into the open space, the former president could hardly contain her tears. There, surrounding the vessel that would be their salvation, was Laura's field; as bright and beautiful as the first day she saw it. And not twenty feet from the raptor was her pond, still as crystal clear as she saw it in every one of her dreams.

Without wasting a moment, Bill helped her into the raptor, temporarily blocking her view. However, when he helped her into the copilot's chair, she found herself able to marvel at its beauty one last time.

"Let's go, Helo, now!" Adama ordered the pilot as Centurions could be seen approaching the tree line. "Laura, how are you holding up?" He asked in a much softer tone.

"There it is, Bill," she practically whispered as they began to rise into the air. "That's our field and our pond. And that," she pointed, "was going to be where our cabin would have sat. We would have been so happy there."

"I know," he whispered back. "But we're here now, and we can't change that. I promised to find us a home, and that's what I'm going to do. I promise you that."

"I know," Laura smiled, locking her eyes with his. However, the moment was interrupted by another intense contraction.

"Laura?" Bill questioned nervously.

"Oh, my Gods! This kid is in a hurry!" she replied.

"So are we. Ma'am. You just hang in there, all right?" Helo comforted from his seat next to her, and her mind immediately went to Isis. Gods she hoped the child was okay. She prayed she hadn't failed in protecting the being that had so miraculously saved her life.

It was out of her hands now. All she could do was watch as her dreams shrank slowly into the distance, and she was once again greeted by the familiar blackness of the universe.

Back on Galactica, things were frantic. Panicked colonists were running every which way, searching for lost loved ones or simply trying to find a way out of the overly cramped area. Bill had no patience for any of them. His wife was in labor, damn it, and he was going to get her to the med bay by whatever means necessary! Laura, was flattered and grateful, but she would later feel sorry for the people who stood in their path. They were gonna feel those hits in the morning. That is, if there was another morning.

"Where's Cottle?" the admiral demanded as they arrived at their destination.

"He's not here yet. Probably still caught in the madness with the rest of the colonists, sir," one of the nurses replied.

"Frak!" Bill whispered sharply. "Okay, Laura, stay here. You'll be safe, and Goran and Scylla will take care of you. I'll be back soon. I promise."

"It's okay. Go save the human race. Again," the redhead gave a brave smile. The admiral smiled back and kissed her quickly before taking off for the CIC.

Unfortunately, Admiral Adama did not make it to his next destination. An explosion rocked the corridor and knocked the man off his feet. He could hear the sounds of metal feet colliding with metal floors and quickly ducked behind a nearby crate. They'd been boarded by the cylons, and the toasters were heading straight back the way he'd came. They were headed toward sick bay. They were headed toward AFT Damage Control. They were headed straight for Laura.

* * *

Can Admiral Adama save his wife? With Laura ever give birth to that frakking baby already? And what the hell ever happened to Baltar? Tune in tomorrow for the answers to all this and more! 


	13. Let's Go Frak Up Some Toasters!

-1**Battlestar Galactica**

**Sickbay **

**In Orbit Over New Caprica**

"Mrs. Adama?" Petty Officer Jennifer Scylla began softly.

"Please, call me Laura," the former president insisted while biting the inside of her cheek against an oncoming contraction.

"Laura, I'm going to check your cervix now to see how far dilated you are. Afterward, we'll need you to get into the gown that Petty Officer Goran is retrieving for you now," Scylla continued.

Laura nodded her head in agreement, unable to speak at the time. Meanwhile, Petty Officer Goran was returning with the aforementioned gown when the phone rang.

"Sickbay, Goran," he answered quickly. "Yes, sir. Right away." The phone was back on the receiver within a matter of seconds.

"What's going on?" Scylla asked, looking worried.

"We have to go!" Goran told her immediately.

"Go? Go where? What the hell are you talking about?" Jennifer raised her voice slightly.

"We've been boarded by the Cylons! They're heading straight for us! We have to go!" her friend repeated.

"She in labor!" Scylla continued.

"Grab what you can and get her up! If we don't move now, we're all dead!"

"Where will we go?" Laura questioned tiredly from her bed.

"The admiral said to head toward the Cylon holding cell. It's got a clean bed, and it's the safest place on the ship right now," Goran answered. Laura took a deep breath.

"Okay. Everyone just stay calm. Keep a cool head, or there's no way any of us will make it out of this alive." Scylla and Goran nodded in agreement. "Right, now one of you give me a hand so I can get out of this frakkin' bed."

**Battlestar Galactica**

**Raptor Hangar Deck**

**In Orbit Over New Caprica**

"Tell me again what exactly we are doing here, darling," President Gaius Baltar whispered to his disguised lover from under the thick hood that was masking his face. "If you or I so much as look up, we'll be recognized immediately and thrown out the airlock before you can say 'frak'!"

"I sincerely doubt that, Gaius. Look at them," Caprica indicated the masses surrounding them. "They're all too busy cuddling with their families to even give us a second thought. And I'm afraid the Adamas are all very busy at the moment."

"That's all well and good, but none of this will last forever. What are we going to do when someone does start asking questions?"

"Relax, Mr. President. We won't be here long enough for that to happen," Caprica turned to give him a sly but reassuring grin.

"I don't understand. What exactly are you planning on accomplishing here?" questioned the very confused Baltar.

"We are here to claim our child," the blonde told him sternly.

"Our child? But she…"

"Quiet!" Caprica interrupted. "It's time. We have to move now." The Cylon took off, pulling Gaius' arm behind her.

"Where are we going?"

**Battlestar Galactica**

**Small Arms Locker**

**In Orbit Over New Caprica**

"You all know what you have to do," Admiral Adama addressed the small group of soldiers who had also made their way to the weapons locker. "I trust every one of you to get the job done, and get it done well. We don't have much time, so let's move out."

"You're coming too, sir?" Hotdog questioned carefully.

"Colonel Tigh can handle the deck. My wife's back there, soldier. I'm not going anywhere else," Adama responded.

"Yes, sir. I understand," Hotdog said seriously. Adama put a hand on his shoulder. If anyone could relate to his situation, it would be this kid.

"Come on. Let's go frak up some toasters."

Yes, sir!" Hotdog smiled as he saluted.

Turning to Adama's left, the two men swiftly exited the locker only to run straight into gunfire. The cylons were everywhere. There had to have been more than one boarding party this time around. Gunshots and screams could be heard from neighboring corridors as well. It was like a nightmare come to life. Blood and gore spilled from every direction as the band of soldiers blasted their way toward AFT Damage Control, hoping to cut off the cylons before any lethal damage could be done to the Galactica.

"Frak!" the admiral exclaimed as he'd lost count of his ammo and unexpectedly ran out. "Stinger, cover me!" He shouted as he began to duck behind a crate to reload.

"Admiral!" the older man heard Stinger shout instead. He didn't even have time to look up before he felt the impact of a solid metal arm on his chest and a solid metal wall on the back of his head.

**Battlestar Galactica**

**Cylon Holding Cell**

**In Orbit Over New Caprica**

"Okay, Laura, lie down here. I still need to check your cervix," Scylla once again spoke in her soft, comforting voice as she helped the pained woman into Sharon's bed. Not far away, four armed guards stood with their weapons pointed directly at the Cylon's chest.

"Laura, how long were you in labor before you reached the sickbay?" Scylla questioned, trying to keep her worry from showing.

"Uh, I don't know. I was asleep. I felt them almost immediately after waking," the redhead replied as another contraction ended.

"It's not unheard of for a woman to sleep through some of early labor," Scylla seemed to be talking to herself more than anyone else.

"Why do you ask?" Laura questioned carefully, almost fearing the answer.

"Honey, you're about eight centimeters dilated right now," Jennifer said as calmly as possible. "That's incredible! Especially for your first child." Laura was about to comment when another contraction hit. This was becoming unbearable!

"You - you didn't happen to bring along any pain medication, did you?" she asked instead.

"Right here, sweetie," Goran flashed the medicine's needle before carefully replacing the IV in the pained woman's arm and injecting the medicine into the port. "It's not much, but it should take the edge off."

"Mm, that's fine. Thank you."

"Hey! Hey! Stand back! You can't be down here!" The shouts of an unknown guard could suddenly be heard from just outside the holding cell.

"What's going on?" Laura managed to shout.

"Civilians, ma'am! I don't know how they got in here! I'll try to keep them back!" the marine responded almost fearfully.

"No, it's all right. Let them through," the redhead called back.

"Just make sure none of them get too close to this bed!" Jennifer added.

"Yes, ma'am!" the marine addressed the former president. "Okay! Listen up! We'll fit as many as we can down here! But if I see anyone make a move that could be considered threatening toward the admiral's wife, I will shoot them! Now move it, people! Let's go!"

Laura couldn't suppress a pained moan as the civilians began piling into the holding cell. Although mildly flattered by the marine's threats, they did seem a bit excessive. Oh well, she didn't have time to care just then. At the moment, she was concentrating on just how it was going to be possible to squeeze something the size of a watermelon out of something to size of a Pyramid ball.

"Hey there, sir. How you feelin'?" Laura heard Kat's familiar voice question from her right side.

"Uh ha, I've been better," the redhead attempted a grin. Kat gave a short laugh.

"Well, I guess I get to see what I should be looking forward to, huh?" the young pilot smiled while placing a hand instinctively over her largely swollen abdomen. She and Hotdog were expecting their first child any day now as well.

"Oh, you bet!" Laura paused and held her breath as she felt another contraction coming on. She felt Kat take her hand and grinned as much as possible.

"You're doing great, Laura. Just keep breathing," Jennifer Scylla tried to comfort her. Laura could feel herself shaking uncontrollably. She wondered if that was normal. Gods, her belly was on fire! She really wished Bill were there. Mainly because with every contraction she felt a more and more intense compulsion to tear his penis off! But also, although she would never admit it, she was a little scared.

"Won't be long now, honey," Jennifer continued as Goran wiped her brow with a damp cloth. _Lords, Bill! Where are you? _

**Battlestar Galactica**

**Sickbay**

**In Orbit Over New Caprica**

William Adama awoke with a start, unsure of where he was at first. Looking around, he immediately recognized the all too familiar walls of Galactica's Life Station.

"Admiral! You're awake!" Hotdog said in nervous excitement from somewhere near the bed on which his commanding officer was lying. _'Thanks for the update.' _Bill thought to himself.

"What the hell happened out there?" he questioned as soon as he had accounted for all his body parts.

"A Cylon came out of nowhere and threw you against the wall. You've been out cold for a good while now," the lieutenant replied.

"What about…"

"We beat 'em, sir. Just barely, but we did it," Hotdog interrupted.

"Good work, son," Adama placed an approving hand on the young man's shoulder as he sat up.

"Whoa! What do you think you're doing?" Hotdog questioned sternly. "You shouldn't be getting up!"

"Now you listen to me. I have not missed the birth of any of my children so far, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let a bump on the head keep me from being there for this one. So, if you're smart, you'll do well to get the frak out of my way," Adama glared his signature glare, and Hotdog instantly backed off and watched his superior walk out the door.

**Battlestar Galactica**

**Cylon Holding Cell**

**Jumped to New Coordinates **

"How's it lookin', doc?" Kat questioned the newly arrived Dr. Cottle anxiously from her place at Laura's side.

"It's lookin' good, ladies," he replied with a devilish grin, attempting to ease a little bit of the tension lingering around the room. As the end stages of labor progressed, Laura began having more and more trouble keeping up her strength. The former president's vitals were not as steady as the doctor would have liked them, but he said nothing. Panic was the last thing he needed to instill into any of the people hovering around the laboring woman, let alone the woman herself. "Laura? You can start pushing when you're ready. Laura?"

"Laura, honey, wake up," Kat whispered in her ear, brushing the hair back from the feverish woman's face. Laura blinked her eyes open and stared up at Kat. The pilot could see the pain hiding behind those big green irises. "The baby's coming. You have to push, okay? Push!"

"I can't!" the redhead cried softly, tears streaming down her flushed face.

"Laura!" a new voice suddenly called out.

"In here, admiral! Hurry!" Kat shouted back. Within seconds, the father-to-be appeared through the thick crowd of civilians. His face went visibly pale at the sight of his ailing wife.

"Laura! Laura, I'm here. It's okay," he whispered, taking the hand Kat left for him and kissing her forehead.

"Bill, you're here," she smiled as much as she could. "I'm so tired. It's so hot."

"I know, but you're so close," he encouraged.

"Admiral," Cottle got his attention. "She's fully dilated. We need to get her to start pushing. Now." Bill nodded in understanding and released his wife's hand.

"Hang on, baby," he whispered as he and Scylla eased her forward gently as he situated himself behind her. Wrapping his arms around her midsection, he rested his hands lightly on top of her belly and let her head rest against his left shoulder. "Okay, push! Come on, you can do it." And to everyone's surprise, she did. The concentration was obvious on her face as she worked to help her child into this strange new world.

"Oh, Gods, Bill! It hurts! I can't! It hurts too much!" Laura sobbed. The admiral felt a rush of adrenaline surge through him. This wasn't like the Laura he knew at all. He knew childbirth was an extremely painful process, but Laura was strong. Stronger than he was. Something was wrong. It had to be.

"Yes, you can! You can do it! I know you can! Listen to me, you're strong. Do you hear me? You're the strongest person I've ever known. If anyone can do this, it's you." Suddenly, he could feel his wife pushing again; trying with all her strength to do what she had to do.

"Okay, the shoulders are out," Cottle said as he suctioned the baby's airway slightly. "One more big push, and we're done. Can you do that for me, Laura?"

The pained woman didn't reply. Instead, she let out a scream worthy of the Gods as she focused every bit of her energy on forcing this tiny life out of her body.

"And that's it! It's out!" the doctor said needlessly as Scylla and Goran cleaned off the newborn and wrapped it up to keep it warm.

"You did it, Laura. Everything's gonna be okay. You did it," Bill whispered in the new mother's ear.

"Congratulations! It's a girl!" Jennifer half-laughed, half- cried as she began to hand the child over to its mother and father. However, she stopped as the admiral's wife suddenly became limp in his arms.

"Laura? Laura! Wake up! Laura! Come on, baby! Don't do this!" Adama all but shouted, brushing the hair back from the unconscious woman's face. "Doc?" he questioned the major desperately. Cottle took Laura's pulse and felt her breathing, but before he could say anything, Kat let out a horrified shriek.

"Cottle, get the frak over here now! She bleeding a lot!" Kat shouted, panicked.

"Son of a bitch! Someone get me a gurney! Now!" the doctor ordered. Bill made a move to get out from under his wife, but Cottle stopped him. "No! You stay there. We'll need you're help."

"Major, what the hell is going on? What's wrong with her?" Adama demanded.

"I'm not sure. I'll let you know," was the only response.

"What about the baby? Is she…?"

"I'll let you know!" Cottle ended the conversation as the gurney was finally wheeled in.

"On three," a muscular orderly said as several men gently took a hold of their former Commander-in-Chief. "One, two three!" On three, they easily slid her from the prison cell bed to the gurney. As they were preparing to move her, the admiral finally got a look at what all the excitement was about. Kat wasn't exaggerating. The bottom of the cot and most of the bottom of the admiral's pants legs were drenched in a sickening deep red.

"Make a hole!" Cottle shouted as they took off toward the Life Station. Bill made a move to follow but hesitated. _What about the baby?_

"Go, admiral," Scylla told him. "Your daughter seems very healthy. We'll take care of her. I promise. Go be with your wife." Adama leaned over and kissed his new daughter's forehead before taking off after Laura.

* * *

Will Laura Survive? Can Bill get any softer? Will this story ever be any less angsty? Tune in tomorrow for the answers to these questions and more! 


End file.
